Hummel, Purdue edge Wildcats
EVANSTON – Robbie Hummel didn’t have his most prolific afternoon, but Purdue still wanted him to get the ball with the game on the line Saturday.
The junior hauled in a feed from Lewis Jackson and fired a 15-foot baseline jumper with 12 seconds to play as Purdue topped Northwestern, 58-56.
Hummel, the Boilermakers’ leading scorer at 15.4, struggled early and closed with 11 points, including nine in the second half.
“Anytime you have a guy like Hummel, you want the ball in their hands to make the decision or make the shot,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “We were struggling to get a good shot against their 1-3-1. We were fortunate that Lewis got enough penetration to draw the defense for Rob to get that catch.”
A potential game-winning three-pointer by Wildcats forward John Shurna bounced off the glass at the buzzer.
“It was tough pressure from their guards bringing it up, and the play didn’t work out the way we drew up,” Northwestern’s Drew Crawford said.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Boilermakers (15-7, 5-4 Big Ten).
The Wildcats (12-8, 2-6) have lost three straight and seven of their last nine. Crawford scored a game-high 23 points for the Wildcats (12-8, 2-6), while Shurna added 15.
“I was proud of the way the guys were down most of the game and come back, down again, come back,” said Wildcats coach Bill Carmody. “We defended pretty decently, and then it came down to the last shot, and Hummel made a nice play.”
Purdue led 54-49 with less than 4 minutes left but couldn’t hold the advantage.
Shurna hit a three-pointer, Johnson replied with a layup and then the Wildcats’ Reggie Hearn hit back-to-back drives to tie the game with 41 seconds left before Hummel’s winner.
Purdue struggled from the field early, hitting just 3 of 10 shots in the first 8 minutes while Northwestern opened an 11-7 lead.
But the Boilermakers hit their next six tries - including back-to-back baskets by Lewis Jackson and Johnson’s three-pointer - on the way to a 21-14 lead with 8:37 to go.
Northwestern closed within one point, but the Boilermakers maintained a 26-22 lead thanks to a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Anthony Johnson.
The Boilermakers opened a short-lived nine-point lead at 34-25 early in the second half.
Shurna, Crawford and Alex Marcotullio scored all the points in a 15-2 surge for a 40-36 lead with 12:02 left.
But Northwestern couldn’t maintain the lead for long. Purdue tied it 45-45 on Byrd’s two free throws and never trailed again.
The Boilermakers were 24 of 54 from the field (44.4 percent) but dominated inside scoring with a 32-14 advantage despite bend outrebounded 37-23. Northwestern had 16 turnovers, which Purdue converted into a 21-4 advantage.
“I thought we’d do a better job on the glass,” Painter said. “Northwestern outrebounded us, and a lot of them were just hustle rebounds. Northwestern was just quicker to the ball. Normally when that happens, you get beat.”
Northwestern was without 6-foot-11 center Luka Mirkovic, who hurt his ankle in practice Tuesday.
The Wildcats are home Thursday night against Nebraska, while Purdue is idle until a home game next Saturday against Indiana.
The Boilermakers opened a short-lived nine-point lead at 34-25 early in the second half.
Four players then scored as the Wildcats hit 10 straight, part of a 13-2 surge over a 3:13 span, for a 38-36 lead at the 12:50 mark.
But Northwestern couldn’t maintain the lead for long. Purdue tied it 45-45 on Byrd’s two free throws and never trailed again.
The Boilermakers were 24 of 54 from the field (44.4 percent) but dominated inside scoring with a 32-14 advantage despite bend outrebounded 32-23. Northwestern had 16 turnovers, which Purdue converted into a 21-4 advantage.
Northwestern was without 6-foot-11 center Luka Mirkovic, who hurt his ankle Tuesday in practice.
Northwestern is home Thursday night against Nebraska, while Purdue is idle until a home game next Saturday against Indiana.
