Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Gophers’ competitive first half against sixth-ranked Purdue quickly unraveled after intermission, as the Boilermakers pulled away for an 85-57 victory at Mackey Arena on Wednesday night.
Minnesota hung tough in the opening 20 minutes, trailing by just three points at halftime. However, Purdue’s dominant second-half performance put the game out of reach, as the Boilermakers outscored the Gophers 50-25 down the stretch.
Junior guard Jaylen Crocker-Johnson provided the lone bright spot for Minnesota, leading all Gophers scorers with 17 points in the losing effort. The team struggled to find an offensive rhythm against Purdue’s defensive pressure after halftime.
The loss drops Minnesota to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten Conference play as the team continues to navigate a challenging early-season schedule.
Minnesota will look to bounce back when they return home to Williams Arena on Sunday to host Texas Southern.
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