(Updated: ADDED “season-high” to Johnson’s point total.)
Butler 76, Purdue 70: Kellen Dunham scored 16 of his 25 points in the first half and the Bulldogs held off a late rally to top the Boilermakers in the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis.
Khyle Marshall had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Butler (8-2), which improved to 3-0 all-time in the event. Erik Fromm chipped in 14 points, making three of the Bulldogs’ six 3-pointers.
Terone Johnson led Purdue (8-3) with a season-high 20 points and seven rebounds. Bryson Scott scored 15 points and A.J. Hammons had 10 for the Boilermakers.
Dunham’s 3-pointer with less than five minutes left made it 62-53 and the margin ballooned to 16 points inside of two minutes before Purdue stormed back. Basil Smotherman and Scott had baskets in a five-second span to cut the deficit to 73-65 with 44 seconds left and Smotherman had a three-point play to make it a four-point game with 19 ticks remaining before Elijah Brown’s free throws finally iced it.
Purdue led by as many as eight points early on but needed a Scott 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half to get within 36-33 at intermission. Johnson had a pair of baskets in an 8-1 burst by the Boilermakers to begin the second half, but Brown had a layup and a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to help Butler bounce back and take a 55-49 advantage.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Purdue owns a 37-17 series lead but has lost four straight meetings. … Hammons fouled out with 2:25 left and Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter then picked up a technical foul. … Butler was 18-of-30 from the line, going 5-for-10 in the final minute to help Purdue stick around.
