With an already successful record in recent years against in-state college basketball rivals, the Purdue Boilermakers didn’t waiver from their success at the annual Crossroads Classic. They beat Notre Dame, 88-78, Saturday in Indianapolis.
With 16 wins in their last 18 games against in-state schools, marked only by losses last year against Butler, ranked No. 17 at the time, and two years ago against the Fighting Irish (2-4) at the Crossroads.
The Boilers (6-2) jumped out to a sizable early lead, 18-9, starting with an 11-0 run less than three minutes into the game. They built it to a game-high 15-point lead late in the first half.
Co-scoring leader Sasha Stefanovic, a junior from Crown Point, scored 12 of his 18 points in the first half when he connected on four of five three-point attempts. Eric Hunter Jr., a guard playing at the Crossroads for the third time in his career at Purdue, also scored 18. It was his best scoring effort of the three games in his hometown. Hunter Jr. graduated from Tindley Prep in Indy.
Five minutes into the second half, the Irish tied the game, 53-53, but the Boilermakers responded with a 13-3 surge to put the game away.
Notre Dame guard Prentiss Hubb, a junior from Maryland, averaged 19.4 points a game entering the game, but was held scoreless for the first time this season. He missed all seven of his shots.
Notre Dame’s Trey Wertz was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points in his second game of the season after transferring from the University of Santa Clara.
Purdue forward Trevion Williams was inserted back into the starting lineup after averaging 24 points and ten rebounds in his past two games. He finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Purdue’s next opponent, No. 3 Iowa next Tuesday in Iowa City, heads the list of a scheduling gauntlet. Four of the Boilers’ next six opponents are ranked nationally in the top 20.
