Fourth-Seeded Boilermakers Ease Past Vermont in First Round, 80-70
Boiler Notes
• Purdue improved to 26-7 on the season and 5-1 in neutral-site games … Purdue’s 26 wins are tied for the sixth most in a season in school history … it marks the third time in school history that Purdue has won at least 26 games in back-to-back seasons (2008-09 and 2009-10; 2009-10 and 2010-11; 2015-16 and 2016-17).
• Purdue improved to 36-28 all-time in NCAA Tournament history and 20-7 in first-round games … Purdue won its first tournament game since the 2011-12 first-round (vs. Saint Mary’s; 72-69) … Purdue is now 3-0 all-time in NCAA Tournament games played in Wisconsin.
• Purdue improved to 29-1 since the start of last year when outrebounding its opponent by 10 or more rebounds.
• Purdue went just 9-of-14 from the free throw line, and is now just 15-of-27 (.556) from the free throw line in the last two games.
• Purdue improved to 19-1 this year when leading at halftime (lone loss to Iowa).
• Purdue is 52-16 (.765) since the start of last year … Purdue’s 52 wins are the fifth most in back-to-back seasons in school history … Purdue’s 73 wins since the start of the 2014-15 season are the seventh most in a three-year span.
• As a team, Purdue recorded its 31st double-double of the season, the second most in a season in school history (32 in 1973-74) … Purdue’s 31 double-doubles are the most in the country (Seton Hall – 30; play Friday).
• Purdue improved to 19-1 this year in games decided by 10 or more points … 19 of Purdue’s 26 wins have come by 10 or more points.
• Purdue improved to 16-2 when shooting 48.0 percent or better from the field … when holding foes under 48.0 percent, Purdue is 23-2.
• After having eight turnovers in the first half, Purdue had just two turnovers in the second half.
• Purdue improved to 59-4 since the start of the 2014-15 season when attempting more free throws than its opponent.
• Purdue had five players score in double-figures for the 10th time this season … Purdue now has five players averaging at least 10.0 points per game.
• Vincent Edwards scored 21 points for the ninth time in his career (8-1 record) … in three NCAA Tournament games, Edwards is averaging 19.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 3.7 APG … Edwards now needs four assists to become the second player in Purdue history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists (has 296) … Edwards scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half … Purdue is 42-11 in his career when he scores 10 or more points.
• Caleb Swanigan tallied 16 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots in Purdue’s win … he is the first player since at least 2010-11 to reach those marks in the NCAA Tournament … his 27 double-doubles are the most for a player in Big Ten history and 17th most in NCAA history … in the last 20 years, just three major-college players have had more (Blake Griffin – 30; Tim Duncan – 29; Michael Beasley – 28) … Swanigan became the second major-college player in the last 25 years to have 600 points, 400 rebounds and 90 assists in a season (Tim Duncan) … Swanigan now has 608 points, 417 rebounds and 96 assists … Swanigan has 417 rebounds this year, now the fifth most in Big Ten history (only Jerry Lucas and Walt Bellamy have more) … Swanigan became the 12th player in Purdue history with 600 points in a season (now 608).
• Dakota Mathias connected on his 151st career 3-pointer in the win over Vermont, now ranking 11th on the Purdue career 3-pointers made list … Mathias has 69 3-pointers this year, ranking 14th on the single-season list … he needs four more to move into the top 10.
• Carsen Edwards tallied 12 points with 4 rebounds … Edwards needs just five points to become the eighth freshman in school history with 350 points … Purdue is now 14-3 when he scores 10 or more points … in two postseason games, Edwards is averaging 14.5 points per game.
• P.J. Thompson netted 10 points and two assists against zero turnovers … since the start of last year, Purdue is 31-7 when he commits zero turnovers.