On a frigid January evening in West Lafayette, Indiana, the No. 5 Purdue Boilermakers outlasted the Iowa Hawkeyes in a fiercely contested Big Ten men’s basketball showdown, emerging with a 79-72 victory at Mackey Arena. The win, which came on January 14, 2026, not only extended Purdue’s conference unbeaten streak to 6-0 but also handed Iowa its third straight defeat and dropped the Hawkeyes to 12-5 overall, 2-4 in conference play.
The matchup was a rollercoaster from the opening tip, featuring nine ties and an eye-popping 14 lead changes. Both squads came out firing, but it was Iowa that delivered the first statement, draining their opening five three-point attempts and jumping out to a quick lead. The Hawkeyes’ early shooting barrage saw them hit 7-of-10 from the field and 70% from deep in the first half—an impressive feat considering the raucous, hostile environment of Mackey Arena.
Junior Kael Combs was the engine for Iowa in the opening 20 minutes, tallying 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including a perfect 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Senior Bennett Stirtz, despite picking up his second foul less than five minutes into the half, played 17 critical minutes, adding five points, three rebounds, and three assists. The Hawkeyes’ ball movement and hot hands kept Purdue’s defense scrambling, and when Combs buried a three with less than 30 seconds left in the half, Iowa took a 34-31 lead into the break.
Purdue, however, was not about to let the game slip away on their home floor—especially with their loyal fans braving the snow and biting winds to pack the arena. The Boilermakers’ first-half highlights included back-to-back threes from Jack Benter, sparking a personal 6-0 run that electrified the crowd. Yet, Purdue’s offensive rhythm was stymied by Iowa’s stingy defense and the Hawkeyes’ uncanny ability to hit contested shots.
The first half wasn’t without controversy. Fans and players alike were frustrated by what many considered inconsistent officiating. Purdue’s C.J. Cox, who would later be named the John Wooden Memorial Player of the Game, was tasked with slowing down Stirtz and delivered a defensive masterclass whenever matched up. The tension peaked late in the first half, when a scuffle after a rebound led to a double technical foul on Iowa’s Alvaro Folgueiras and Purdue’s Gicarri Harris—a decision that drew boos from the Paint Crew every time Folgueiras touched the ball thereafter.
After halftime, the intensity only ramped up. Purdue quickly snatched a 39-38 lead, but Iowa responded with a thunderous 10-0 run, capped by back-to-back dunks from junior Cam Manyawu. Suddenly, the Hawkeyes held a 48-39 advantage with under 15 minutes to play, the largest lead of the night for either team. But just as quickly, the Boilermakers answered with a 10-2 spurt of their own, tying the game at 50 with 10 minutes remaining. The closing stretch was a blur of buckets and momentum swings, with the score knotted three times in the final 10 minutes.
Purdue’s Braden Smith, who struggled in the first half (0-2 shooting, 4 assists, 2 turnovers), came alive after the break. Smith poured in 6-of-7 shots in the second half, dished out four more assists, and grabbed two rebounds—proving vital to the Boilermakers’ comeback. Between 11:20 and 9:22 left, Iowa committed four costly turnovers, opening the door for Purdue to seize control. Smith’s relentless drives and smart playmaking kept the Hawkeyes on their heels.
With just under five minutes left, Purdue reclaimed the lead for good on a free throw by Trey Kaufman-Renn (TKR). But Iowa refused to go quietly. Tavion Banks drilled a clutch three-pointer with less than a minute left, trimming Purdue’s lead to two before fouling out on the ensuing possession. The Boilermakers, however, kept their composure at the charity stripe, icing the game in the final moments.
Statistically, the Hawkeyes could hold their heads high. Bennett Stirtz led all scorers with 19 points, adding three rebounds and four assists. Kael Combs notched a career-high 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including four triples. Cam Manyawu chipped in 13 points, three rebounds, and a team-high three steals. Iowa finished the night shooting a sizzling 52.9% from the field and 48% (12-of-25) from three-point range—12% higher than their season average. Yet, it wasn’t enough to snap their road woes, as the Hawkeyes remain winless in true away games this season.
Purdue’s balanced attack, relentless defense, and clutch free-throw shooting ultimately made the difference. C.J. Cox’s effort on Stirtz, especially in crunch time, drew praise from coaches and fans alike. “He’s been Purdue’s best defender for awhile and tonight was no exception,” a local analyst observed. Cox contributed offensively as well, going 4-4 from the line and hitting a crucial three-pointer. Jack Benter’s first-half threes and Daniel Jacobsen’s wild tip-in basket during a second-half run were also pivotal moments.
Despite the win, Purdue’s coaching staff was quick to point out areas for improvement. The Boilermakers allowed Iowa to shoot far above their season averages from deep, a trend that has become concerning. “Gotta shore up the defense and the three-point defense specifically,” remarked one staff member postgame. Still, the victory keeps Purdue atop the Big Ten standings at 16-1 overall and 6-0 in the conference.
The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, will look to regroup as their schedule doesn’t get any easier, with a trip to Indiana looming. Head coach Ben McCollum’s squad showed grit and offensive firepower, but the inability to close out games on the road continues to haunt them.
As the snow settled outside Mackey Arena, the Boilermaker faithful left with another home win to celebrate. For Purdue, the journey toward a potential Big Ten title rolls on, while Iowa faces some soul-searching and a need to rediscover their early-season form before the conference race slips further from their grasp.
