- No. 11-ranked Purdue fell to 8-3 overall with a 70-66 setback to No. 17-ranked Texas A&M in the Indy Classic held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
- The Boilermakers fall to 2-1 overall all-time in the Indy Classic and the loss was their first in Gainbridge Fieldhouse since the Big Ten Tournament title game against Iowa in March 2022.
- The Aggies were the fourth ranked team that Purdue has faced this year (2-2 record), matching the school record for most, non-conference ranked teams on the schedule. Auburn next weekend will be the fifth.
- The loss to Texas A&M snapped a six-game winning streak against the SEC (Ole Miss, Alabama, Tennessee, Alabama, Tennessee, Tennessee) dating to the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
- Purdue fell to 40-2 since the start of the 2021-22 season in non-conference play – the best record in the country. Its losses have come this season to Marquette and Texas A&M.
- Purdue had 16 turnovers, resulting in 22 Texas A&M points. In Purdue's three losses, the Boilermakers average 18.3 turnovers per game (55 total), resulting in 72 opponent points.
- Since the start of last season, Purdue is 36-1 when it has a turnover percentage under 20 percent. It is 6-7 when it has a turnover percentage above 20 percent.
- Braden Smith scored 15 points with 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocked shots, becoming the second player nationally this year to reach that in a single game (Clemson's Ian Schieffelin vs. Penn State).
- Smith is the first Big Ten player to reach those marks in a game since Even Turner (Ohio State vs. Minnesota) on Jan. 9, 2010.
- C.J. Cox scored 10 points off the bench and now has two double-figure scoring outings in his last three games.
- Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 11 points with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. He has scored in double-figures every game this season.
- Fletcher Loyer scored 12 points with three assists.
- The Boilermakers lost for just the second time when Smith and Loyer combine for 25 points, now owning a 25-2 career record.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Zhuric Phelps and Pharrel Payne each scored 16 points Saturday to lead No. 17 Texas A&M past No. 11 Purdue 70-66 in the first of two games at the Indy Classic.
The Aggies (9-2) have won five straight. Payne had season-high totals in points and rebounds with nine. All-SEC guard Wade Taylor IV finished with 15 points and five assists before an injury forced him to leave with 1:36 to play.
Braden Smith led the Boilermakers (8-3) with 15 points, six rebounds and six assists. Fletcher Loyer had 12 points as Purdue lost for the second time in three games.
It was a physical contest between two teams who thrive on rebounding with bodies repeatedly hitting the floor and multiple players departing with injuries. Smith left briefly in the first half when his head appeared to hit Payne's knee, and the refs stopped play for Taylor when he struggled to dribble past midcourt. Taylor did not return.
Texas A&M's defense swung the game by keeping the Boilermakers scoreless for a stretch of 6:35 in the second half, allowing the Aggies to extend a two-point lead to 62-50.
Takeaways
Texas A&M: The Aggies rebound and defend as well as any team in the country. That devastating combination helped the team pin a rare non-conference loss on Purdue — and added a strong line to their NCAA Tournament resume.
Purdue: The Boilermakers' bugaboo this season has been turnovers and that was the case again Saturday. Purdue struggled for long stretches in the second half and committed another 16 turnovers, giving it 48 in its last three games.
Key moment
After Purdue trimmed a seven-point deficit to 52-50, the Aggies held the Boilermakers and scored 10 straight points to extend the lead to 62-50 with 4:44 to play.
Key stat
Purdue had its third-lowest shooting percentage of the season (45.3%). Texas A&M has held all 11 of its opponents below their season averages.