Wisconsin Stuns No. 15 Purdue With Record-Breaking 3-Point Barrage

Badgers hit 18 3-pointers to defeat Boilermakers 97-93 in regular-season finale

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Wisconsin Badgers set a school record with 18 3-pointers, including 12 in the first half, to defeat No. 15 Purdue 97-93 in their regular-season finale. John Blackwell led the Badgers with 25 points, while Nick Boyd added 23. Purdue's Fletcher Loyer broke the school's career 3-point record, but the Boilermakers couldn't match Wisconsin's long-range shooting.

Why it matters

This was a significant win for Wisconsin, which has now won three straight and six of its last eight games heading into the Big Ten Tournament. The loss was a rare one for Purdue, which had not lost a game in which it scored over 90 points since 1987.

The details

Wisconsin went 18-for-34 from 3-point range, tying the second-highest single-game 3-point total in school history. The Badgers were led by John Blackwell, who made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points, and Nick Boyd, who added 23 points. Purdue's Fletcher Loyer broke the school's career 3-point record, but the Boilermakers couldn't keep up with Wisconsin's barrage of 3-pointers.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 8, 2026.

The players

John Blackwell

A Wisconsin player who made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points in the game.

Nick Boyd

A Wisconsin player who scored 23 points in the game.

Fletcher Loyer

A Purdue player who broke the school's career 3-point record, scoring 23 points and making six 3-pointers in the game.

Braden Smith

A Purdue player who scored 20 points and had 9 assists in the game.

Trey Kaufman-Renn

A Purdue player who scored 17 points in the game.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

Both teams will be waiting for the Big Ten Tournament pairings to come out on Sunday to find out who and when they'll play at Chicago next week.

The takeaway

This game showcased Wisconsin's impressive 3-point shooting, as the Badgers set a school record with 18 made 3-pointers to defeat a ranked Purdue team. The loss was a rare one for the Boilermakers, who had not lost a game in which they scored over 90 points since 1987, highlighting the significance of Wisconsin's victory.