In a devastating blow to the Indiana Hoosiers, they experienced their worst home loss to Purdue since 1934, with an 87-66 defeat. The 21-point margin ties for the fifth worst loss by the Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, according to ESPN Stats.

The game started with Indiana taking an early lead, but foul trouble quickly turned the tide against them. Mackenzie Mgbako and Kel'el Ware both encountered quick fouls, hampering Indiana's momentum. Purdue seized the opportunity and dominated the remainder of the first half, heading into halftime with a commanding 51-29 lead.

Indiana put up a fight in the second half, narrowing the gap to within nine points. However, the lead established by Purdue proved insurmountable, leaving the Hoosiers struggling to catch up.

Head coach Mike Woodson's decision to bench Mgbako and Ware for a significant portion of the first half had a negative impact on Indiana's offense. The Hoosiers scored 1.63 points per minute when both players were on the court, compared to just 1.06 points when they were absent.

With their key players sidelined, Indiana's offense faltered throughout the first half. They shot a meager 35.1 percent from the field, including a dismal 16.7 percent from beyond the arc. Such poor shooting statistics against a formidable opponent like Purdue paved the way for a 22-point halftime deficit.

Woodson acknowledged that his team missed several open shots in the first half, further exacerbating their struggles. Even if they had converted half of those missed opportunities, it would not have been enough to close the gap against Purdue.

Indiana's offensive struggles continued, averaging just 0.929 points per possession. This was far from sufficient to keep up with Purdue's highly efficient offense. One notable disparity was Indiana's low free throw attempt rate of 13.8 percent, compared to Purdue's 43.5 percent. This put the Hoosiers at a significant disadvantage, requiring them to rely heavily on field goals, which they couldn't convert efficiently without their top scorers on the court.

One crucial aspect where Indiana fell short was in forcing turnovers from Purdue. The Boilermakers typically averaged 14 turnovers in their previous two visits to Bloomington, but this time they committed just eight. This meant fewer missed opportunities for shots, allowing Purdue's star player Zach Edey to dominate inside the paint.

Edey took advantage of Indiana's inability to consistently double-team him, frequently capitalizing on close-range looks. Although Ware's defensive efforts occasionally disrupted Edey, the 7-foot-4 center's size and strength ultimately wore down the Hoosiers.

In addition to their offensive struggles, Indiana also compounded their problems by sending Purdue to the free-throw line 16 times in the first half, of which the Boilermakers converted 14.

Despite Indiana's decent effort on the glass against a formidable offensive rebounding team, Purdue managed to secure key second-chance opportunities late in the game, helping them seal the victory. Purdue scored 1.22 points per possession, making it the most points Indiana has allowed in a home game this season and the third highest overall.

Indiana (12-6, 4-3) will now turn their focus to their upcoming matchup against Wisconsin on Friday, looking to bounce back from this devastating loss and regain their winning momentum.