Green lights up second half for Purdue in win over OSU

The Boilermakers hadn’t beaten the Buckeyes since Jan. 29, 2003.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Marcus Green has focused on doing the little things for Purdue all season.

He saved the big things for Ohio State.

Green scored 22 points, and his Boilermakers beat the Buckeyes 75-68 on Saturday afternoon to end Ohio State’s 19-game Big Ten winning streak.

It was Green’s first double-figures scoring game of the season, and he fell one point short of his career high. He fouled out with one minute to play and got a standing ovation as he left the court.

“I always feel like Mackey Arena has always been in my corner,” he said. “It felt good to have the support, but more importantly, it felt good to get the win.”

It was the first time this season a Purdue player has scored 20 or more points. Green had been averaging 3.7 points per game.

Keaton Grant scored 14 points, and E’Twaun Moore added 11 points and eight rebounds for Purdue (11-5, 2-1 Big Ten), which was coming off a 78-75 loss at No. 6 Michigan State on Tuesday.

Green said the loss to Michigan State made Saturday’s game important. The Boilermakers responded and overcame a seven-point halftime deficit against the Buckeyes.

“It was more of a sense of urgency,” Green said. “To be down in the Big Ten is not good. It was very important we got this win. In the second half, we played harder.”

Green consistently found holes in Ohio State’s 2-3 zone defense. He shot 9-for-12 from the field and made 3 of 4 3-pointers.

“He just had a good game,” said Jamar Butler, who led Ohio State with 26 points. “Everybody has a good game here and there, once in a while. He made some shots when he was open.”

Butler made a career-high six 3-pointers for Ohio State.

“It seems like he never misses in Mackey Arena,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “I feel he’s the best point guard in our league. He just does so much for his team.”

Kosta Koufos added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Buckeyes (12-4, 3-1).

Ohio State had won its past eight games this season, and had won eight in a row in the series against Purdue. The Boilermakers hadn’t beaten the Buckeyes since Jan. 29, 2003.

“Purdue just kept fighting and scratching at us and played Purdue basketball, which is being physical and pressuring,” Butler said. “It led to turnovers, and they got easy buckets on them.”

Ohio State led 36-29 at halftime, but Purdue started the second half on a 8-0 run that included two baskets by Green. The second of those, a baseline jumper, gave the Boilermakers a 37-36 lead with 16:24 to play.