John Tonje’s strong 2nd half leads No. 16 Wisconsin past No. 7 Purdue 94-84 in key Big Ten game

By Canadian Press on February 15, 2025.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — John Tonje scored 22 of his 32 points in the second half Saturday and Max Klesmit added 17 points and six assists to help No. 16 Wisconsin beat No. 7 Purdue 94-84.

Tonje scored 10 straight points during a key second-half stretch that gave Wisconsin a lead it never relinquished.

The Badgers (20-5, 10-4) won their fourth straight despite losing backup guard Kamari McGee late in the first half when a replay review resulted in a Flagrant 2 call and an ejection after McGee’s hand hit Trey Kaufman-Renn below the waist as he tried to guard Purdue’s Braden Smith.

Kaufman-Renn led Purdue with a career high 30 points. Fletcher Loyer scored 15 and Smith had 12 assists C.J. for the Boilermakers (19-7, 11-4), who lost their second straight for the second time this season.

Purdue honored All-American forward Caleb Swanigan at halftime. The 2017 Big Ten Player of the Year and first-round draft pick of the Portland Trail Blazers died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 2022 at age 25. The local coroner ruled Swanigan died from natural causes.

Takeaways

Wisconsin: After a sluggish start, the Badgers showed what they’re capable of by nearly outscoring Purdue in the first half and playing much better defense in the second.

Purdue: The Boilermakers struggled to find a second scoring option in the second half when Kaufman-Renn had 21 of Purdue’s 47 points. The result: A rare second home loss.

Key Moment

Tonje’s four-point play with 15:47 left in the game not only gave the Badgers their first lead since 16-14, it spurred an 11-0 run that put Wisconsin in control for the rest of the game.

Key Stats

Wisconsin made 18 of 25 shots and 6 of 12 3s without turning the ball over in the second half.

Up next

The Badgers begin a three-game homestand Tuesday against Illinois. The Boilermakers visit No. 11 Michigan State on Tuesday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Michael Marot, The Associated Press

19
-18