Rutgers men’s basketball suffered a heavy 100-71 loss to No. 18 Purdue at Mackey Arena on Tuesday night. The Boilermakers dominated the game, shooting 56.1% from the field and an impressive 50% from three-point range (18-of-36).
Purdue’s offense was unstoppable, scoring 50 points in each half. The Scarlet Knights struggled defensively, allowing the most points in the Steve Pikiell era. This marked the highest point total allowed by Rutgers since a 107-point loss to Purdue in 2016.
Dylan Harper led Rutgers with 13 points, surpassing Phil Sellers’ freshman total to become the second-highest scorer for a true freshman in Rutgers history with 515 points. Harper is just two points behind Mike Rosario’s 517 points from his freshman season in 2008-09. Ace Bailey added 12 points to his total, bringing his season total to 504 points.
Rutgers started strong, hitting 9-of-15 shots and scoring 27 points in the first 10 minutes of the game. By halftime, the Scarlet Knights had 41 points. Despite this solid offensive start, they trailed by nine points at the break due to Purdue’s hot shooting. The Boilermakers shot 69.2%, including 64.7% from beyond the arc, leading 50-41.
In the second half, Purdue quickly went on an 8-0 run, extending the lead to 58-41 and forcing an early Rutgers timeout. The Boilermakers continued their dominant play, stretching the lead to 30 points and effectively sealing the win.
Rutgers will now prepare for their regular season finale against Minnesota at home on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will also feature Senior Day celebrations.
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