Purdue Outlasts Indiana in Rivalry Classic

It was another heart-pounding battle between Indiana and Purdue, but the No. 10 Boilermakers held on for an 81-76 win at Mackey Arena on Friday night.

The Hoosiers (14-8, 5-6 Big Ten) came out swinging, leading at halftime behind Mackenzie Mgbako’s 25-point performance. Trey Galloway (15 points) and Oumar Ballo (14 points, 8 rebounds) also played key roles, keeping Indiana in the fight until the very end.

However, Purdue’s Braden Smith took over down the stretch, finishing with a season-high 24 points, including clutch free throws in the final seconds. Trey Kaufman-Renn’s go-ahead bucket with 11 seconds left sealed the deal, as Indiana turned the ball over on their last possession, allowing Purdue to escape with the win.

Despite the loss, the Hoosiers showed they can compete with top-tier teams. They’ll look to rebound Wednesday against Wisconsin.