8 Purdue Basketball was at the fingertips of the goal of topping the Big Ten title chase. But in a winning game on the road against No. 10 Wisconsin, the team could only watch as that goal slipped from its grip.
Jaden Ivey scored 17 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer in the final minute to tie the game. But there was enough time for Wisconsin's Chucky Hepburn to run down the floor and bank a shot of the glass beyond the arc with 1.5 seconds remaining.
Purdue didn't have another chance to equalize after losing 70-67 on Tuesday night at the Kohl's Center. The team fell 24–6 in the season and 13–6 in conference play.
Final.
— Purdue Mens Basketball (@BoilerBall) March 2, 2022
Regular-season finale in Mackey Arena on Saturday vs. Indiana. pic.twitter.com/ir8j5irwcA
"Honestly, it's hard to know that we had some games come to an end, and they had buzzer-beaters," Ivey said. "It's not the first time this has happened, so it's always hard."
Ivey led all-scorers with 22 points and recorded five assists. He was 8-15 off the ground, including two 3-pointers in the second half, but the sophomore guard was also 3-9 from the free-throw line.
Wisconsin was led by 19 points from junior forward Tyler Wahl. Hepburn hit four 3-pointers, including the game-winner, for a career-high scoring total of 17.
"In terms of what we did at the end of the game, I wouldn't trade anything," Purdue coach Matt Painter said.
Purdue found a rhythm from beyond the arc, after making just one 3-pointer in Saturday's loss to Michigan State. Senior guard Sasha Stefanovic made three shots from the 3-point line in the first half, giving the team six points.
But as soon as the spark of this crime flared up, it started extinguishing. Boilermakers completed 36% of the half-shoots from the field, including 4-13 from the 3-point line and 3-8 on free-throw attempts.
Hepburn took advantage for Wisconsin, sinking back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite an 8-0 run. The Badgers took a 16-14 lead in the first half with 13:16.
"I think the little things in a game add up when it's a tight game and when you're playing a great opponent like him," Stefanovic said. "You wish you had a lot of opportunities back. We'll go to the movie and watch the game. There's a lot of properties, a lot of things you wish had gone a different way, but this is basketball. This is life, You just have to move on."
Purdue kept it closed until the last minute of the period. With less than five minutes to go before halftime, Wisconsin used a 10–0 run to take an eight-point lead before senior guard Eric Hunter Jr. hit a 3-pointer nail from the left corner.
Boilermaker failed to score for more than four minutes until Hunter's deep shot, rolling the ball three times in that period. At the break, the Badgers took a 33-28 lead in the locker room.
Ivey managed to score five points for Purdue shooting 2-6, but the star guard missed all four of his free-throw attempts and was credited with three turnovers before the second half.
The Boilermakers were quickly back within one and started the second half with a Mason Gillis 3-pointer, after which Eddie secured a three-point game after a foul. Both players soon picked up their third foul of the game and sent them to the bench.
The Badgers would retaliate with back-to-back 3-pointers before sophomore guard Johnny Davis drilled a midrange jumper. Davis scored 10 of his 16 points in the second half.
Wisconsin led 11 points before stopping at the offensive end of the floor. Purdue used a 53-52 lead to lead 14-2, its first lead in the second half, with 7:42 left to play. Ivey and Eddie were the only two scorers during the swing.
"I thought we did a good job of getting a few stops, some easy buckets," Stefanovic said. "I thought Zach played really well in the second half, so did Jaden. He just got some good, easy looks - got to the rim. He really stepped up his game."
The sophomore pair combined for 31 points after halftime. But his dominance couldn't overcome a pair of competitive shots shot out of the glass in the final minute of the game. Davis fired a deep shot with his foot over the 3-point line and gave the Badgers a three-point lead.
To make things up Ivey's final 3-pointer looked to send the game into overtime, except for a final shot by Wisconsin. And that shot somehow found its way to the bottom of the net. Instead of playing in overtime, Purdue saw fans storm the court under red and white confetti.
The team won't have a chance to claim the Big Ten Championship when state-of-the-art rival Indiana arrives at McKay Arena on Saturday. But there are still goals that are not yet out of reach.
"I think we can use this as a lesson to learn to get better at the NCAA Tournament down the road," Ivey said. "Obviously, we fell short and didn't meet our goal of winning the Big Ten Championship. We still aim to win a national championship, so we have a lot to look forward to."