Texas A&M's suffocating defense deals Purdue its third loss
INDIANAPOLIS — Against other elite defensive team, Purdue suffered another defeat Saturday at the Indy Classic, falling 70-66 to No. 17 Texas A&M at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
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The Aggies scored 20 points off Purdue turnovers, relegated Trey Kaufman-Renn to being a non-factor most of the game, opening a 12-point lead with 4:44 to play as Purdue missed seven straight shots. A&M, a 30-percent three-point shooting team this season, was 9-of-20 from long range. Purdue, one of the top shooting teams in the country, was 9-of-26, though that number was warped by late-game volume.
After using a 10-3 run to lead 29-25 with six minutes left in the first half, Purdue then turned the ball over four times before half and went scoreless the last 2:47 as A&M took a 38-35 lead into the break.
In the first minute of the second half, though, A&M made a wide-open three, scored off a Purdue turnover, then dealt Fletcher Loyer his third foul, setting the table for a really difficult half for Purdue. A 7-0 Aggie run fueled by Purdue turnovers made it 59-50 with 7:30 to play.
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Braden Smith led Purdue with 15 points, all on threes, but also committed six turnovers.
Kaufman-Renn managed 11 points but the Boilermakers’ leading scorer did make a field goal until deep into the second half as A&M very effectively denied him the ball. He also committed five turnovers.
Loyer scored 12, but got no real good looks from three-point range.
In maybe the most physical game Purdue has seen this season, Texas A&M attempted 24 free throws to the Boilermakers’ 10. Purdue really struggled again on defense to contain the dribble, leading to several threes and fouls.
