After matching its highest ranking in the weekly Associated Press poll, No. 2 Purdue rolled through Florida State, 93-65, Tuesday night in the Big Ten/ACC challenge at Mackey Arena.
The last time Purdue was ranked in the top two was back in March of 1988.
In its first game against the Seminoles since a trip to Florida two years ago, Purdue (7-0) never trailed and beat FSU (5-2) for the first time in program history. This meeting was the fifth between the two schools.
“(Florida State) has beaten us in a couple close games, the last two times we played them,” said coach Matt Painter after the conclusion of the game. “They are a very good basketball team. They are going to beat a lot of people.”
Nine minutes into the second half, the Seminoles cut Purdue’s lead to eight. But the Boilers exploded for a 17-2 run in the next four minutes with 11 of those points being scored by senior guard Sasha Stefanovic. Nine of his 11 points were on three-pointers.
“That’s what good teams do,” Said Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton after the game. “I give Coach Painter and his team a lot of credit for assembling probably the most complete basketball team that I have played against in a long, long time.”
Sophomore standout Jaden Ivey shouldered the offensive load for Purdue with 18 points to go with six rebounds. Thirteen of Ivey’s points came in the first half when he knocked down five of six shots.
Three other sophomores followed Ivey’s lead, scoring in double figures for the Boilers. Brandon Newman, a shooting guard from Valparaiso was the second leading scorer with 13 off the bench. Isaiah Thompson and Zach Edey both finished with 12. Stefanovic led the team with eight assists.
The Boilermakers’ biggest struggle against the Noles was turnovers with 13. FSU cashed in for 25 points off the Boilers’ miscues.
Purdue’s next test is against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten opener at Mackey Arena on Friday.