The No. 13 Michigan State Spartans and No. 8 Purdue Boilermakers put on a show at Mackey Arena on Thursday night, but the outcome was something that has not been seen in more than a decade.
With a 76-74 win over the Boilermakers (22-6, 12-5 Big Ten), Michigan State (23-5, 13-4 Big Ten) picked up its first win at Purdue since 2014 and significantly improved its outlook for the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament with another signature win.
In a game in which neither team led by more than eight, a missed three from Purdue senior Braden Smith as time expired sealed the road win for the Spartans. The win moves Michigan State into the top four of the conference standings, putting it in position to earn the triple-bye in the Big Ten Tournament in two weeks.
Michigan State’s defense key to crucial road win at Purdue
The Spartans (53%) and Boilermakers (49%) each shot well from the floor, but it was Michigan State’s ability to take advantage of Purdue’s giveaways that made the difference.
Purdue only committed nine total turnovers, but Michigan State converted those into 19 points. Junior forward Coen Carr, who had 11 points (5-of-9 FG), put that on display with this transition windmill slam following a turnover midway through the second half.
