WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana – Zach Edey scored 32 points and 11 rebounds, Braden Smith added 23 points and nine rebounds, and No. 2 Purdue beat Michigan State 80-74 on Saturday night to clinch a share of the regular season of the Big Ten. championship.
Golden confetti fell from the rafters of Mackey Arena as Purdue celebrated its conference-best 26th title. With a win in either of their final two games, the Boilermakers (26-3, 15-3) would clinch their second consecutive regular-season crown.
The last Big Ten team to win back-to-back outright regular season titles was Ohio State in 2006 and 2007.
Michigan State (17-12, 9-9) shot just 39% and lost for the third straight time. Tyson Walker had 14 points and seven rebounds, Jaden Akins scored 13, Malik Hall added 12 and Xavier Booker 11.
Fletcher Loyer finished with 15 points for Purdue, which won its 16th straight home game.
The Boilermakers took a 15-point lead thanks to a three-point play by Edey with 14:26 left. Michigan State had an answer. AJ Hoggard hit an open 3-pointer from the left wing to cut the deficit to 58-55, prompting a timeout by Purdue coach Matt Painter with 9:13 remaining.
Out of halftime, Smith hit a 3-pointer and Purdue held firm from there. Michigan State never got closer than five in the final three minutes. Mason Gillis' three-pointer with 56.3 seconds left extended Purdue's cushion to 77-69.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo called a timeout with 1:46 left in the first half after Edey scored eight points in just over two minutes to turn a 28-27 deficit into a 35-point Purdue lead. -30.
Smith then hit a 3-pointer at the other end for a 38-30 lead, Purdue's largest to that point after trailing by eight early. Walker hit a 3-pointer as time expired in the first half to send the Spartans to the locker room trailing 38-35.
