Turnovers, defensive breakdowns undo Purdue at Michigan State, extending loss streak to three
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Purdue just didn’t give itself a chance Tuesday night at Michigan State, as 12 Boilermaker turnovers led to 19 Michigan State points and dealt the Boilermakers their third straight loss and a critical blow to its Big Ten title hopes, 75-66.
“It really hurt us,” Coach Matt Painter said. “It’s tough to scheme and walk through 4-on-3 breaks, 3-on-2 breaks and lobs. We had to do a better job taking care of the basketball. Even though we didn’t have an egregious number, they turned them into points.”
Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 24 points, but was again side-tracked by first half foul trouble as his second foul came moments after Purdue led by seven in the first half. After that, all downhill, starting with an 8-0 Spartan run late in the half.
Braden Smith scored 17 with seven assists but also committed six turnovers.
“A couple got away,” Smith said. “I have to do a better job taking care of the ball in the first half. A few of them were questionable but that’s life on the road in the Big Ten and I understand that and have to do better.”
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Purdue did have chances in the second half, within four on multiple occasions. But again, it could not string together successes defensively. The Boilermakers allowed numerous lob dunks to Michigan State bigs Jaxon Kohler, Szymon Zapala and Frankie Fidler, the trio combining for 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting, 10-of-13 on two-point shots, as Spartan point guards Jeremy Fears and Tre Holloman had the game on a string, each doling out six assists,
Michigan State shot 68 percent in the second half, one game after Wisconsin shot 74 percent after halftime against Purdue.
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“We messed up some things in ball-screen defense stuff,” Painter said, “and that’s on me. … You can’t go on the road and give up 10 dunks. Our main focus was to keep them out of the paint, not let the ball in there. Easier said than done. Hats off to them.”
And so Purdue has lost three straight for the first time since 2020 and now is at risk of fading from the Big Ten race.
Players have shown frustration. Painter took Smith out of the game — a rarity — briefly in the second half after he reacted to a no-call on a job shot. Kaufman-Renn briefly covered his face with his jersey in exasperation after his second foul, which he thought was called on Caleb Furst.
This is a skid none of these players have known at Purdue, or likely any level prior.
“You don’t want to lose games, obviously, but at the same time, some of it’s good, to be honest,” Kaufman-Renn said. “It shows guys care. Everyone on the floor wants to win really bad.”
