Rob Phinisee hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 16.9 seconds left Thursday, lifting Indiana to a 68-65 win over No. 4 Purdue at Bloomington, Ind.
After Phinisee put Indiana up 66-65, Purdue guard Jaden Ivey air-balled a baseline jumper. Trayce Jackson-Davis was fouled and hit two free throws with 5.1 seconds, putting Indiana up by three. Purdue had a chance to force overtime, but Ivey’s 3-point shot rimmed out at the buzzer.
Phinisee scored a career-high 20 points for Indiana (14-4, 5-3 Big Ten) with Xavier Johnson adding 18 points. Indiana improved to 12-0 at home and snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Boilermakers that dated back to the 2015-2016 season.
Ivey nearly rallied Purdue from a nine-point halftime deficit, scoring 19 of his 21 points in the second half. Mason Gillis added 13 points for the Boilermakers (15-3, 4-3 Big Ten), with Zach Edey scoring 12 points.
Behind 17 points from Phinisee, Indiana jumped to a 37-28 halftime lead. The Hoosiers were able to turn defense into offense, scoring 11 points off 12 Purdue turnovers in the half.
Jackson-Davis picked up his second foul at the 14:24 mark, with Purdue up 12-8. The Boilermakers extended their lead to 16-8 on a Sasha Stefanovic 3-pointer before Phinisee brought IU back.
Phinisee’s first 3-pointer cut Purdue’s lead to 16-11, and his second, after a Williams basket inside, cut Purdue’s lead to 18-14. After two more driving baskets, Phinisee then sank his third 3-pointer to cut Purdue’s lead to 22-21.
With Purdue up 24-21, Indiana went on a 14-0 run, holding Purdue scoreless for a 4:44 stretch. Jordan Geronimo tied the score at 24 with a dunk. Galloway put Indiana ahead with a free throw, followed by a driving basket from Race Thompson. Indiana then scored eight more points, including two on driving baskets from Phinisee and Johnson, to go ahead 35-24.
Edey ended the run with an inside basket for Purdue. After another Phinisee driving basket put Indiana up 37-26, Purdue point guard Isaiah Thompson made a driving layup in the closing seconds of the first half, cutting Indiana’s lead to nine points at halftime.
–Field Level Media
