E'Twaun Moore had a career-day, dropping 38 points on the Buckeyes to bring Purdue up to a 22-5 record. Moore started off hot and didn't stop. His teammates saw a big game from him coming.
"I know once he gets that rhythm going and steps back and hits a 3 and once he smiles, you know he has it going," guard Lewis Jackson said. "E'Twaun, he may put his fingers up and tell you he hit a 3-pointer, but he rarely smiles. Once he smiles, he's in a zone, and you probably won't stop him that night."
The Buckeyes had a chance to re-claim a number-one ranked spot, but they lost. After No. 1 Kansas, No. 3 Texas, and No. 4 Pittsburgh falling, Ohio State missed for the No. 1 spot.
"We've got to continue to keep our focus," he said. "Our guys know we have to play better basketball and we have to get them ready to do that."
Moore also had his 2,000th career point, too. Moore is now just the fourth player in the Big Ten conference to have 2,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 350 assists for his career; joining guys like Taylor Battle of Penn State, Michael Finley of Wisconsin, and Steve Smith of Michigan State.
Ohio State's Jared Sullinger played good, having 25 points. The top pick in many NBA mock drafts says this game was nothing like the last game they had against the Boilermakers, where they destroyed them 87-64.
"In that game, we had toughness to not get screened, toughness to make shots, toughness to make plays on the defensive end, and we didn't do that today," he said.
Moore also was 13-of-18 along with having five assists and two steals. Moore played well versus David Lighty, who is probably one of the best defensive guards in the Big Ten.
"He gets into those rhythms and gets going, he can score points in bunches," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "I've always thought he was one of the best guards in the country when he lets things come to him. He didn't force a lot. That's really, whether he takes 10 shots or 20 shots, the deal with him. If he can do that, he really, really helps our team."
Great game by the Boilermakers. Purdue will face Indiana next on Wednesday.
