HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

Purdue 92, Rutgers 85: Basil Smotherman had a career-high 17 points to lead six Boilermakers in double figures as the hosts won for the eighth time in nine games.

Rapheal Davis added 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Purdue (19-9, 11-4 Big Ten), which moved into a second-place tie with Maryland. Jon Octeus chipped in 14 points while A.J. Hammons had 13 - including his 1,000th career point - and two blocks.

Kadeem Jack - who also hit 1,000 career points during the game - led Rutgers (10-19, 2-14) with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Bishop Daniels added 17 points and Myles Mack had 15 for the Scarlet Knights, who lost their 12th straight.

Smotherman had a layup and a 3-pointer to start a 20-5 Purdue run and Kendall Stephens capped the scoring spree with five straight points for a 32-16 Boilermakers' lead with less than seven minutes left in the first half. The lead was still 16 at halftime and Hammons' dunk and Davis' 3-pointer with about 12 minutes left pushed the lead to 20.

Rutgers answered with a 12-2 run - including a couple of baskets from D.J. Foreman and Daniels' layup with 6 1/2 minutes left - to cut the lead to 69-59. Hammons stopped the run with a dunk and recorded back-to-back blocks that helped Purdue re-establish a 16-point advantage before Rutgers' final push - capped by Jack's 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds left - cut the lead to 88-82.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Smotherman, starting in place of Vince Edwards (concussion-like symptoms), went 6-of-7 from the floor and recorded five rebounds. ... Purdue coach Matt Painter improved to 100-73 in Big Ten games, becoming the fourth active Big Ten coach with at least 100 league wins. ... Hammons had no shot attempts and played two minutes in the first half because of two fouls, but the other Purdue starters went 11-of-14 from the floor and the Boilermakers shot 60 percent in the opening 20 minutes.