Box Score / Photo Gallery / Season Stats / Media Center.@BoilerBall defeated NJIT 79-68 on Saturday afternoon to move to 5-1. Get the highlights here. #Purdue https://t.co/eTjf8lfgX9
-- Purdue Athletics (@PurdueSports) November 26, 2016
#BoilerNotes
- Purdue improved to 18-1 all-time against schools from the state of New Jersey ... Purdue is now 14-3 all-time on Nov. 26.
- The victory was Purdue's 10th in a row during in-season tournaments, dating to the 2014 EASports Maui Invitational ... this game was part of the Cancun Challenge.
- The win was the 275th non-conference victory in Mackey Arena history ... Purdue is 275-37 at home against non-conference opponents.
- Purdue is now 42-15 over its last 57 games after starting the 2014-15 season with an 11-8 mark.
- Purdue shot a season-high 29 3-pointers in the win ... it tied for the 11th-most 3-point attempts in a game in school history.
- Purdue had its eighth 20-point scorer of the season when Caleb Swanigan scored 22 points.
- Purdue has had 37 turnovers in its last 80 minutes played.
- Purdue had two runs of 9-0 or longer, and has now had eight runs of 9-0 or longer in six games this year ... opponents have had three.
- Purdue will close out November with a 40-2 record under Coach Painter in home November games.
- Over the last three games, Purdue is now 37-of-75 (.493) from 3-point range.
- Purdue was 18-of-20 (.900) from the free throw line and has now made 104 free throws this year ... opponents have shot 87.
- Purdue went 2-of-2 on and-one chances, and is now 10-of-11 (.909) on and-ones this year.
- Purdue had seven players dish out at least two assists and had 21 assists on 26 made baskets.
- Caleb Swanigan recorded his fourth straight double-double with 22 points, 13 rebounds and three assists ... Swanigan's four double-doubles in a row are the most since Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson had four in a row during the 1993-94 season ... he now has 13 career double-doubles and Purdue is 12-1 when he records a double-double.
- Swanigan also set a school record for most points scored on a perfect shooting night in school history ... Swanigan's 22 points came on 6-of-6 FGs and 10-of-10 FTs, surpassing the record of 20 set by Stephen Scheffler in the 1988-89 season.
- Carsen Edwards tallied 19 points with four rebounds, three assists and two steals ... over the last two games, Edwards is averaging 20.0 points per game and shooting 7-of-12 (.583) from 3-point range.
- Vincent Edwards scored 12 points with six rebounds and five assists ... Purdue is 26-8 during his career when he scores 10 or more points.
- Dakota Mathias made his 100th career 3-pointer in the win over NJIT.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - When the season began, No. 17 Purdue knew it had two of the nation's best big men in 6-foot-8 sophomore power forward Caleb Swanigan and 7-2 junior center Isaac Haas.
What the Boilermakers did not kmow was what kind of production they would receive from their perimeter players. After this week's Cancun Challenge, coach Matt Painter may have found the answer.
Swanigan had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and freshman guard Carsen Edwards added 19 points, leading Purdue to a 79-68 victory over NJIT on Saturday.
Swanigan was a perfect 6 of 6 from the field and 10 of 10 from the free throw line, and Edwards scored 15 second-half points to help Purdue (5-1) pull away from a 37-34 halftime lead.
Swanigan was the MVP of this week's Cancun Challenge, and Edwards scored a career-high 21 points in Wednesday night's victory over Auburn in the championship game.
''We're still turnover prone (16 on Saturday), and that's a problem, but we are doing some good things with our zone offense, especially when we are posting our big guys in those sets, which some teams don't do,'' said Painter, who got 25 points from guard Dakota Mathias in Tuesday's victory against Utah State in Cancun.
''I also like our focus at the start of second halves. We are able to mix and match lineups, and we're still getting some of those nice second-half runs. Carsen was a big part of that today.''
Edwards helped Purdue maintain a double-digit lead throughout most of the second half.
''I am just kind of picking my spots,'' Edwards said. ''I am just playing off my teammates. I am playing the game and letting it come to me. I try not to lose confidence at all.''
Damon Lynn had 20 of his 33 points in the second half for NJIT (3-4), which also got 12 points from Chris Jenkins.
Highlanders coach Brian Kennedy appreciated his team's effort.
''Obviously, Purdue is a Top 25 team with two of the best big men in the country, and those two guys aren't going anywhere,'' Kennedy said. ''So, I told our guys from the beginning that we had to fight, fight and keep fighting, which is what NJIT basketball is all about. We may not get the top recruits in the country, but we are going to compete and fight as hard as we can.''
The momentum swung completely in Purdue's favor with 9:12 remaining when Rob Ukawuba fouled Swanigan and also was whistled for a technical foul. Swanigan made four consecutive free throws for a 61-47 lead.
''I just grabbed the rebound, walked away and the guy called the foul,'' Swanigan said. ''(Ukawuba) started walking after me, and I just kept walking away. I was surprised they called a technical so quickly. I'll take it.''
BIG PICTURE
NJIT: With Lynn, the Highlanders have a proven scorer (22.5 points a game) and never backed down from a Purdue team that came in averaging 83 points and shooting 51.9 percent from the field. Beginning with Dec. 30, 2014, NJIT is 39-22.
Purdue: The Boilermakers were sloppy with 10 first-half turnovers in their first game since winning the Cancun Challenge, but with Carsen Edwards, Mathias and Vince Edwards beginning to complement big men Swanigan and Haas, Purdue is assembling a really nice blend of interior and perimeter scoring options.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Having beaten Utah State, Auburn and NJIT by a collective 57 points this week in addition to capturing the Cancun Challenge championship by beating Auburn by 25, look for the Boilermakers to climb in the next poll.
BIG NUMBERS
Through six games, Swanigan is averaging 18.8 points and 12 rebounds, having made 35 of 57 field goal attempts and 38 of 51 free throws.
HIGH PRAISE
Painter is impressed by the way NJIT's Lynn plays the game, making 10 of 18 field goal attempts Saturday, including 8 of 13 from 3-point range.
''He is just such a tough cover,'' Painter said. ''He is a little different in the way he shoots it, but even if he is out there 25 to 27 feet from the basket, you can't give him a step or two.''
UP NEXT
NJIT: The Highlanders will play host to St. Francis (Pa.) on Wednesday night.
Purdue: The Boilermakers will travel to No. 10 Louisville on Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.