No Holiday Hangover Here: Purdue Dismantles Kent State In Final Non-Conference Tune-Up
If you were worried that the Purdue Boilermakers spent their nine-day holiday break eating too many cookies and forgetting how to play defense, you can officially exhale. In fact, you can probably let out a deep sigh of relief and maybe even a chuckle.
Monday night at Mackey Arena wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. The No. 5 Boilermakers didn’t just beat Kent State; they ran them out of the gym with a 101-60 drubbing that felt over before some fans had even settled into their seats with their popcorn.
This was the kind of game where you look at the scoreboard, rub your eyes, and look again just to make sure you aren’t seeing things. Coming off a lengthy layoff, Purdue looked fresher than a crisp winter morning in West Lafayette. They closed out their nonconference schedule with a sparkling 12-1 record, and honestly, they look terrifyingly ready for the Big Ten grind that kicks back up on Saturday against Wisconsin.
The “Big Three” and a Surprise Star
Let’s talk about the usual suspects first. Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith, and Trey Kaufman-Renn combined for the team’s first 20 points. It was like watching a well-oiled machine that had just been tuned up by a master mechanic.
Loyer finished with 19 points, bouncing back from a rough shooting night against Auburn like it never happened. That’s the thing about shooters: they shoot. And when Loyer gets hot, Mackey gets loud.
Then there’s Kaufman-Renn. The man is simply a walking double-double machine. He racked up 15 points and 12 rebounds, marking his sixth double-double in just 11 games. He wasn’t just scoring; he was cleaning the glass like he was getting paid by the window. His effort in the first half alone—11 points and nine boards—set a tone that Kent State simply couldn’t match.
But the real story of the night? That would be redshirt freshman Jack Benter.
Jack Benter: The Human Torch
Benter didn’t just have a good game; he had a “call your mom and tell her to record SportsCenter” kind of game. The kid was unconscious. He went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, including draining all six of his three-point attempts.
He finished with a career-high 20 points, and every time the ball left his hands, the crowd seemed to inhale in anticipation. It was one of those magical performances where the rim looked as wide as the ocean. When your bench guys are coming in and dropping 20 pieces with flawless efficiency, you know things are clicking.
Defense Wins
While the offense was putting on a fireworks show, the defense was quietly suffocating Kent State. The Golden Flashes came into this game with a high-octane offense, averaging over 94 points a game. They left Mackey wondering what hit them.
Purdue held them to just 33.3% shooting in the first half. It wasn’t just bad luck for Kent State; it was active hands, quick rotations, and the kind of defensive intensity that makes opposing coaches lose sleep. Loyer and Smith were pests on the perimeter, forcing turnovers and disrupting passing lanes.
There was a stretch in the first half where Purdue went on an 18-2 run that effectively ended the competitive portion of the evening. They turned a tight 23-16 game into a blowout so fast it gave everyone whiplash. By the time the second half rolled around, the only drama left was seeing if Purdue would crack the century mark (spoiler: they did).
Looking Ahead: The Big Ten Gauntlet
So, what does this all mean? In the grand scheme of things, beating Kent State in December won’t be the headline of the season highlight reel. But context matters. This was a maturity test. Could a veteran team come off a break, ignore the holiday distractions, and handle business against a team they were supposed to beat? The answer was a resounding yes.
There were nitpicks, sure. A few sloppy turnovers here and there, maybe a foul or two that could have been avoided. But complaining about a 41-point win feels a bit like complaining that your diamond shoes are too tight.
The real season starts now. The Big Ten is a gauntlet, a physical grind that chews up pretenders and spits them out. But if Monday night was any indication, Purdue isn’t just ready for the fight—they’re looking forward to it.
Braden Smith is chasing assist records (he’s now just nine shy of the Big Ten record, by the way), Kaufman-Renn is dominating the paint, and guys like Benter are emerging as legitimate weapons.
West Lafayette is buzzing, and for good reason. The Boilermakers are rolling, and they don’t look like they plan on slowing down anytime soon. Saturday in Madison can’t get here fast enough.If you were worried that the Purdue Boilermakers spent their nine-day holiday break eating too many cookies and forgetting how to play defense, you can officially exhale. In fact, you can probably let out a deep sigh of relief and maybe even a chuckle.
Monday night at Mackey Arena wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. The No. 5 Boilermakers didn’t just beat Kent State; they ran them out of the gym with a 101-60 drubbing that felt over before some fans had even settled into their seats with their popcorn.
This was the kind of game where you look at the scoreboard, rub your eyes, and look again just to make sure you aren’t seeing things. Coming off a lengthy layoff, Purdue looked fresher than a crisp winter morning in West Lafayette. They closed out their nonconference schedule with a sparkling 12-1 record, and honestly, they look terrifyingly ready for the Big Ten grind that kicks back up on Saturday against Wisconsin.
The “Big Three” and a Surprise Star
Let’s talk about the usual suspects first. Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith, and Trey Kaufman-Renn combined for the team’s first 20 points. It was like watching a well-oiled machine that had just been tuned up by a master mechanic.
Loyer finished with 19 points, bouncing back from a rough shooting night against Auburn like it never happened. That’s the thing about shooters: they shoot. And when Loyer gets hot, Mackey gets loud.
Then there’s Kaufman-Renn. The man is simply a walking double-double machine. He racked up 15 points and 12 rebounds, marking his sixth double-double in just 11 games. He wasn’t just scoring; he was cleaning the glass like he was getting paid by the window. His effort in the first half alone—11 points and nine boards—set a tone that Kent State simply couldn’t match.
But the real story of the night? That would be redshirt freshman Jack Benter.
Jack Benter: The Human Torch
Benter didn’t just have a good game; he had a “call your mom and tell her to record SportsCenter” kind of game. The kid was unconscious. He went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, including draining all six of his three-point attempts.
He finished with a career-high 20 points, and every time the ball left his hands, the crowd seemed to inhale in anticipation. It was one of those magical performances where the rim looked as wide as the ocean. When your bench guys are coming in and dropping 20 pieces with flawless efficiency, you know things are clicking.
Defense Wins
While the offense was putting on a fireworks show, the defense was quietly suffocating Kent State. The Golden Flashes came into this game with a high-octane offense, averaging over 94 points a game. They left Mackey wondering what hit them.
Purdue held them to just 33.3% shooting in the first half. It wasn’t just bad luck for Kent State; it was active hands, quick rotations, and the kind of defensive intensity that makes opposing coaches lose sleep. Loyer and Smith were pests on the perimeter, forcing turnovers and disrupting passing lanes.
There was a stretch in the first half where Purdue went on an 18-2 run that effectively ended the competitive portion of the evening. They turned a tight 23-16 game into a blowout so fast it gave everyone whiplash. By the time the second half rolled around, the only drama left was seeing if Purdue would crack the century mark (spoiler: they did).
Looking Ahead: The Big Ten Gauntlet
So, what does this all mean? In the grand scheme of things, beating Kent State in December won’t be the headline of the season highlight reel. But context matters. This was a maturity test. Could a veteran team come off a break, ignore the holiday distractions, and handle business against a team they were supposed to beat? The answer was a resounding yes.
There were nitpicks, sure. A few sloppy turnovers here and there, maybe a foul or two that could have been avoided. But complaining about a 41-point win feels a bit like complaining that your diamond shoes are too tight.
The real season starts now. The Big Ten is a gauntlet, a physical grind that chews up pretenders and spits them out. But if Monday night was any indication, Purdue isn’t just ready for the fight—they’re looking forward to it.
Braden Smith is chasing assist records (he’s now just nine shy of the Big Ten record, by the way), Kaufman-Renn is dominating the paint, and guys like Benter are emerging as legitimate weapons.
West Lafayette is buzzing, and for good reason. The Boilermakers are rolling, and they don’t look like they plan on slowing down anytime soon. Saturday in Madison can’t get here fast enough.
