Purdue Secures First Big Ten Road Win With Dominant Second Half

Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith lead the Boilermakers past Minnesota with standout performances in an 81-61 victory.

Purdue improved to 10-4 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play with an 81-61 win over Minnesota, marking their first road victory of the season.
Fletcher Loyer scored a game-high 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting, while Braden Smith contributed 20 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds, achieving a career milestone of 1,000 points.
Matt Painter adjusted the starting lineup, giving Caleb Furst and freshman C.J. Cox their first starts of the season, with Furst adding 11 points and six rebounds.
The Boilermakers pulled away in the second half, fueled by sharp shooting from Loyer and Smith, who combined for eight three-pointers after halftime.
Minnesota's Dawson Garcia scored 20 points, but the Gophers struggled from beyond the arc, going 4-for-17, and remain winless in Big Ten play this season.