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Turnovers Cost Boilers in Championship Game

Purdue has a record of 1-5 all-time in the Big Ten Championship game after their loss to Iowa.
Purdue has a record of 1-5 all-time in the Big Ten Championship game after their loss to Iowa.

In a bid to win its second Big Ten postseason championship, the No. 9 Purdue Boilermakers sputtered against the 24th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes and lost, 75-66, in the title game Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis.

But later in the day, Purdue (27-7) found out it’s going to Milwaukee for the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Iowa (26-9) took the lead for good, 54-51, on a three-pointer by freshman Payton Sandfort with 9 minutes left to play. Purdue’s attempted comeback stalled with a combination of turnovers and cold-shooting in the game's closing minutes.

“We beat ourselves a lot of times. Purdue beats Purdue,” said senior Trevion Wiliams following the game.

Purdue made its first title game appearance since 2018 when the Boilers lost to Michigan.

The Boilers turned the ball over 17 times, in large part because of 13 Iowa steals, which tied for the most in a game this season, also against Iowa on Dec. 3.

Jaden Ivey finished with 20 points and six assists, but committed five turnovers. Frontliners Williams and Zach Edey combined for 25 points and 25 rebounds. Ivey and Williams received spots on the All-Tournament team.

“I feel like I made some bad reads,” said Ivey. “My turnovers, I feel like they lost us the game today.”

Despite Purdue’s loss, it drew a No. 3 seed in the East Region of the NCAA tournament. The Boilers will face off against the Ivy league champions, the No. 14 seed Yale Bulldogs. Baylor and Kentucky received the top two seeds in the East Region respectively.

If Purdue wins its first two games in Milwaukee it will advance to the Sweet 16 in Philadelphia.

Purdue will meet Yale Friday, March 18, at 2 p.m. in Milwaukee.