Purdue Ends Northwestern's 6-Game Winning Streak With 80-59 Rout
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Caleb Swanigan had 24 points and 16 rebounds, and Vince Edwards added 17 points Wednesday night to lead No. 23 Purdue to an 80-59 rout over No. 25 Northwestern.
The Boilermakers (18-5, 7-3 Big Ten) have won four of five and still have not lost consecutive games this season.
Bryant McIntosh scored 22 points to lead Northwestern (18-5, 7-3). The Wildcats' six-game winning streak came to an end on a night when leading scorer Scottie Lindsey sat out because of the flu.
Purdue took advantage of Lindsey's absence by going 9 of 14 on 3-pointers in the first half and pulling out to a 45-23 lead.
Northwestern couldn't get closer than 14 in the second half.
Swanigan had his 19th double-double of the season.
Edwards wound up with his highest scoring total since mid-December and made a season-high five 3s against the league's best 3-point defense.
The Wildcats finished with their second-lowest scoring output of the season as Purdue coach Matt Painter moved into a tie with former Michigan coach Johnny Orr for No. 17 in career Big Ten victories (120).
BIG PICTURE
Northwestern: The Wildcats came up one win short of matching the longest Big Ten winning streak in school history. But without Lindsey, perhaps that should have been expected. While a road loss to a ranked team without their best player shouldn't hurt their NCAA Tournament cause, it could knock the Wildcats out of next week's AP Top 25 poll.
Purdue: The Boilermakers rebounded from a loss at Nebraska with an impressive home victory. Purdue has now won at least 12 home games in each of the last 12 seasons. If the Boilermakers keep displaying this type of balance, they could rise again in the Top 25 — and the conference standings.
UP NEXT
Northwestern: Returns home to host in-state rival Illinois next Tuesday.
Purdue: Visits No. 17 Maryland on Saturday for its second straight game against a ranked foe.
(© 2017 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.)
