- Purdue improved to 12-1 overall with an 80-53 win over Eastern Kentucky in the final non-conference game of the season for the Boilermakers. The win was Purdue's fifth in a row.
- Purdue won its 35th straight non-conference, regular-season game, good for the ninth-longest streak in NCAA history and the second-longest streak in Big Ten history. Purdue became the third team in the last 50 years (Syracuse 2010 to 2012; Duke 1992-94) to record three straight unbeaten, non-conference regular seasons.
- During Purdue's streak, it has beaten 15 top-100 KenPom teams and 12 top-50 KenPom teams. Eleven of the teams were top-20 KenPom teams, and seven were ranked in the top 11 of the AP Top 25 poll.
- The win was also Purdue's 26th straight non-conference home win dating to Nov. 9, 2019, vs. Texas. The 26 straight wins is one shy of the school record for non-conference home victories.
- Purdue has scored at least 80 points in seven straight games, matching the longest streak for the Boilermakers since the 1987-88 season (10 games).
- Matt Painter won his 450th career game and his 425th game at Purdue.
- Purdue is now 13-5 when ranked as the nation's No. 1 team.
- The Boilermakers are 70-15 since the start of the 2021-22 season (third-most wins in the country) and 41-7 since the start of last year.
- The Boilermakers are 79-3 since the start of the 2017-18 season when scoring 80 or more points.
- Purdue has won 15 straight games when forcing 10 or more turnovers.
- Purdue was whistled for just seven fouls, tied for the second fewest in game in school history (6 vs. Omaha; Nov. 26, 2021).
- Purdue had seven players score between seven and 14 points. The Boilermaker bench combined for 27 points.
- Mason Gillis narrowly missed his first career double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Purdue is 28-3 during his career when he makes two or more 3-pointers in a game.
- Zach Edey tallied 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal to record his 64th straight game in double-figures.
- Edey reached 300 points, 30 blocks and 12 wins in the first 13 games of the season, becoming the first player (college or NBA) since the Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal in 2001-02 to do this.
- Trey Kaufman-Renn scored in double-figures for the second straight game for the first time in his career with 10 points and six rebounds. In 36 minutes over the last two games, he has 25 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, while going 10-of-16 from the field.
- Purdue's main power forwards (Kaufman-Renn and Gillis) combined for 20 points, 15 rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Fletcher Loyer scored 14 points and Zach Edey had 13 points to help No. 1 Purdue rout Eastern Kentucky 80-53 on Friday night.
Mason Gillis and Trey Kaufman-Renn each added 10 points for the Boilermakers (12-1). Gillis also had nine rebounds. Braden Smith finished with eight assists.
"I try to prepare every game the same, some nights it's a better game than other nights," Gillis said. "I try to keep my mentality the same. I know what my role is. I know what my job is. I preach to our guys that if we do our job we're easily the best team in the country. If I'm preaching that. I have to embody it. My job every game is chase rebounds and be ready to shoot."
Purdue coach Matt Painter praised Gillis' contributions.
"Mason was great and got some rebounds, just made some second-effort plays," Painter said. "That's what we need from everybody, to keep going after the ball. Mason really gave us some positive play."
Devontae Blanton led the Colonels (4-9) with 14 points. Leland Walker had 12.
Edey had just three points in the first half but extended his streak of scoring in double figures to 64 games. He was 5 of 7 from the field.
Purdue led by 35 points at 77-42 before going deep into its bench. The Boilermakers held a 46-25 rebounding edge.
Loyer had 12 of his points in the first half.
"I think what's it's been is doing whatever it takes to help the team win," Loyer said. "For this team to make a power run in March and Big Ten, they need me to be aggressive some nights. I think we everyone to be aggressive."
Purdue started off sluggish offensively before picking it up. The Boilermakers outscored the Colonels 23-13 in the final 10 minutes of the opening half to take a 43-24 lead.
The Boilermakers shot 57% in the first half, while Eastern Kentucky shot 37%. Purdue held a 21-12 rebounding edge in the opening half. For the game, the Boilermakers shot 52%, and the Colonels 37%
Purdue (1-1 in the Big Ten) plays at Maryland on Tuesday night.
"We still haven't won a road game and we're going into a beehive where they didn't lose in the Big Ten last season," Painter said. "I feel like we've made strides. We have experience. We have some guys who went through some things. We have different guys off the bench that play off the bench, depending how the night unfolds."
Although Purdue was 6 of 21 from 3-point range against the Colonels, Painter said the team has shown a balance playing off the interior game and then able to knock down shots. Purdue was shooting 39% from 3-point range entering the game.
Keeping turnovers low has also been a key in the first 13 games.
"We had 11 turnovers tonight," Painter said. "We're averaging around 12 1/2 per game. If we can keep our turnovers around 10, we put ourselves in really good position."
BIG PICTURE
Eastern Kentucky: The Colonels' biggest problem was Purdue's advantage in the paint. The Boilermakers outscored the Colonels 46-18 in the paint.
Purdue: The Boilermakers should retain its No. 1 spot. They won their 35th consecutive regular-season, non-conference game.