WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. (AP) — Braden Smith scored 20 points with 9 assists and 7 rebounds to lead six Purdue scorers in doubles figures as the No. 1 Boilermakers topped Oakland 87-77 on Friday night.
Fletcher Loyer scored 15 points and Oscar Cluff and C.J. Cox added 14 points apiece for Purdue (2-0). Jack Benter and Liam Murphy each scored 11 points for the Boilermakers.
Ziare Wells led the Golden Grizzlies (0-2) with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Nassim Mashhour added 15.
Purdue shook off a slow start and shot 47%, while Oakland shot 44%. The Boilermakers made 13 of 35 shots from 3-point range, while the Golden Grizzlies went 8 for 26 from long distance.
The game was tied at 35-all at halftime before the Boilermakers moved nine points ahead at 53-44 with 15:37 left. But, Purdue couldn’t shake the Golden Grizzlies until late.
Loyer and Cox hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give Purdue an 83-69 lead with 2:54 remaining.
Murphy hit a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in the opening half to lift Purdue into a tie at the break.