The Purdue men's basketball team entered Big Ten Tournament play as the number two overall seed, after winning a share of the Big Ten regular season title.
That mattered little to their opponent Minnesota as the Gophers defeated the Boilers for the second consecutive time, 75-73, following a loss near the end of the regular season that cost Purdue an outright title (rather than a share of it with Michigan State).
Minnesota used a hot start to hold a lead for the majority of the game. They shot 63% from the field in the first half and had four players score in double figures. A late 12-2 run by the Boilers gave them a brief lead, but the last of the game's 15 lead changes put the Gophers ahead for good, as a last second shot by Carsen Edwards was off.
The Gophers were led by Jordan Murphy who scored 27 points, 17 of which came in the second half. Point guard Amir Coffey continued his stellar play against the Boilermakers this season, adding 21 points of his own.
Edwards continued his struggles, as he only scored 11 points. He also recorded six of the teams nine turnovers -- miscues Minnesota turned into 15 points on the other end. Matt Haarms scored 16 points to lead the Boilermakers.
Purdue will qualify for the NCAA tournament, but the opening game loss may hurt their seeding. The win all but ensures Minnesota will also get a bid to the Big Dance. Selection Sunday is two days away.
