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Big Ten Basketball: No. 16 Purdue battles past Indiana

By Brock Zimmermann

Jan 24, 2017; East Lansing, MI, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) reacts to a play during the second half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2017; East Lansing, MI, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) reacts to a play during the second half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /
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The No. 16 Purdue Boilermakers rallied and battled past the Indiana Hoosiers, 69-64, in a Big Ten basketball conference showdown.

In the first meeting between Purdue and Indiana this season, the Hoosiers came in desperate for a big win. However, Purdue looked to keep rolling along on their late-season hot streak in this one on Thursday evening.

Related Story: Previewing Indiana versus Purdue

And the Boilermakers got the job done, winning 69-64 at Assembly Hall.

Because of the home court advantage, Indiana jumped out to an early lead. Both teams battled in the first half and went back and forth for most of the game.

Vince Edwards led the Boilermakers in scoring, matching a career high with 26 points. He went 8-of-11 from the field, 3-of-5 from downtown, and secured eight rebounds.

Caleb Swanigan was huge for Purdue. He had a double-double, putting up 16 points and 14 rebounds. He continues to shine as one of the best underclassmen in the country. The big man averages nearly 13 rebounds per game, the second-highest in the nation.

He was instrumental in securing the win in the final minutes in nearly every way. He got rebounds, points, and assists. Additionally, he was involved in a rare double foul that occurred in the final minute, causing him to foul out.

Indiana needs to start winning close games but they have more injury concerns to worry about. De’Ron Davis left the game after taking a hit to the face. Another potential injury for the Hoosiers will be a huge concern moving forward.

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The Boilermakers will look to stay hot and continue to climb the Big Ten standings and AP poll. While they thrived early in the year, Indiana’s season is going south in a hurry. They will need to find some late confidence and health heading into the conference tournament to turn things around.

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