John Tonje's Strong 2nd Half Leads No. 16 Wisconsin Past No. 7 Purdue 94-84 In Key Big Ten Game

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.

John Tonje's strong 2nd half leads No. 16 Wisconsin past No. 7 Purdue 94-84 in key Big Ten game | iNFOnews.ca — The Wisconsin bench, including forward Carter Gilmore (7), celebrates during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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.