Purdue clinches share of 2nd straight Big Ten title

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.– Zach Edey had 32 points and 11 rebounds, Braden Smith included 23 points and nine boards, and No. 2 Purdue beat Michigan State 80-74 on Saturday night to clinch a share of the Big 10 regular-season championship.Gold confetti fell from the Mackey Arena rafters as Purdue commemorated its conference-best 26th title. With a win in either of their last two games, the Boilermakers(26-3, 15-3)would claim their second straight outright regular-season crown.The last Big 10 team to win back-to-back straight-out regular-season titles

was Ohio State in 2006 and 2007. Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Michigan State (17-12, 9-9 )shot

simply 39%and lost

its third straight. Tyson Walker had 14 points and seven rebounds, Jaden Akins scored 13, Malik Hall included 12 and Xavier Booker 11. Fletcher Loyer finished with 15 points for Purdue, which won for the 16th successive time at home.The Boilermakers ran out to a 15-point lead on Edey’s three-point play with 14:26 to go. Michigan State had a response.

A.J. Hoggard drained an open 3-pointer from the left wing to cut the deficit to 58-55, prompting a timeout by Purdue coach Matt Painter with 9:13 remaining.Out of the break, Smith knocked down a 3 and Purdue held constant from there. Michigan State never ever got closer than five in the last three minutes.

Mason Gillis ‘3 with 56.3 seconds remaining prolonged Purdue’s cushion to 77-69. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo called a timeout with 1:46 left in the first half after Edey scored eight points in just more than 2 minutes to turn a 28-27 deficit into a 35-30 Purdue lead.Smith then drained pipes a 3 on the other end for a 38-30 benefit, Purdue’s biggest to that point after it had actually tracked by 8 early. Walker knocked down a 3 as time expired in the first half to send out the Spartans to the locker space down 38-35.