By TYLER MASON
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jaden Ivey scored 21 points and Zach Edey added a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds, leading No. 4 Purdue to an 88-73 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night.
Senior guard Eric Hunter Jr. added a career-high 20 points and the Boilermakers got double-figure scoring from four players. Hunter entered the contest averaging 4.3 points.
Purdue (19-3, 8-3 Big Ten) has won four straight and seven of its last eight games.
Payton Willis scored 24 points and Jamsion Battle added 21 for Minnesota (11-8, 2-8), which lost its third straight.
Purdue followed up its dramatic last-second win over Ohio State with a comfortable road victory. The Gophers briefly made things interesting in the second half before running out of steam.
Edey scored nine of his points in the first four minutes, and the Boilermakers started 8 of 8 from the floor.
Minnesota cut Purdue’s 15-point halftime lead to seven after five straight points by Treyton Thompson that made it 63-56. The Gophers couldn’t get any closer as Purdue began making stops on defense.
Minnesota threatened one last time, with four minutes remaining. Battle hit a 3-pointer from the corner to make it a 10-point game, but Purdue’s Trevion Williams found a cutting Ivey for an easy dunk to answer.
The Boilermakers used their size to dominate on the glass. Purdue outrebounded Minnesota 39-23.
Minnesota limited Williams. The Boilermakers’ third-leading scorer didn’t have a point until a free throw early in the second half. He finished with five points and three fouls in 13 minutes.
Minnesota’s Eric Curry came off the bench in his second game back from an ankle injury. He struggled from the floor with 1-for-7 shooting.
BIG PICTURE
Purdue: The Boilermakers continued to show the depth that has led to a top-5 ranking. Three players were in double-figures at halftime in Purdue’s road win.
Minnesota: The Gophers fell to 0-5 this season against ranked teams, including losses against ranked opponents in their last three games. Wednesday’s game was the most lopsided of the five.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
After moving into the top five this week, Purdue will look to stay there when it faces Michigan on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Purdue: Hosts Michigan on Saturday.
Minnesota: At Iowa on Sunday.
