Purdue Tops Rutgers 81-65 in Big Ten Opener

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers opened their Big Ten Conference schedule with an 81-65 victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Tuesday night at Jersey Mike's Arena, extending their unbeaten streak to 8-0 while handing Rutgers its third double-digit loss of the season.

Purdue seized control early and never relinquished it, leading for the final 36 minutes and 48 seconds of the game. The Boilermakers built a lead as large as 25 points, powered by a balanced offense that overwhelmed Rutgers on both ends of the floor. They shot 38.5 percent from beyond the three-point line, making 10 of 26 attempts, and capitalized on second-chance opportunities with 13 points off 11 offensive rebounds.

Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn led the way for Purdue. Smith finished with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting and added eight assists, while Kaufman-Renn contributed 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with 13 rebounds. The Boilermakers outscored Rutgers 16-6 in the opening five minutes of the second half, scoring on seven of their first eight possessions to turn a comfortable advantage into a rout. Purdue eased off late, allowing Rutgers to close the gap with a 36-27 scoring...