WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Rapheal Davis had just enough going his way to be a nuisance for No. 25 Iowa, but he isn’t looking for the credit.
Davis scored 16 of his 24 points in the first half to lead the Purdue Boilermakers to a 67-63 victory over the Hawkeyes on Saturday.
“I made some baskets,” Davis said. “But without Basil (Smotherman) playing the game he did, I don’t think we win.”
Smotherman and A.J. Hammons each scored 13 points for the Boilermakers (12-8, 4-3 Big Ten), who have won two of three.
Smotherman made a couple of free throws with less than a minute to play to help keep the Boilers ahead. He also finished with six rebounds.
Mike Gesell scored 18 points and Gabriel Olaseni finished with nine points and 16 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (13-7, 4-3).
Davis made the go-ahead 3-pointer to give Purdue a 65-63 lead with less than a minute remaining and the Boilermakers held on the rest of the way.
Gesell scored to give the Hawkeyes a 63-62 lead at the 1:18 mark before Purdue took the lead for good.
The Hawkeyes played much of the game without Aaron White, who left the game with a right shoulder injury in the first half.
“I was in a lot of pain,” he said. “I tried to go back in, thinking that if I got back loose it would loosen up and I could help the team. But I reached for the ball and had a popping feeling and pain down my neck, but I’ll be alright.”