TUSCALOOSA, AL — Purdue men’s basketball expected a physical game for its third meeting in as many seasons against Alabama.
Boilermaker senior guard Fletcher Loyer left Coleman Coliseum with an 87-80 victory and a physical manifestation of that physical play. Loyer broke a tooth sometime during the second half of a rugged game in which bodies regularly hit the floor — voluntarily or otherwise.
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Loyer took the hit in such stride that Braden Smith said he was unaware until Loyer told him after the game. He played 31 minutes and collected seven points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Alabama was whistled for 16 second-half fouls. Purdue crashed the boards hard from the start and built a 52-28 advantage there.
The rugged game featured 21 lead changes and 14 ties. These teams now have a long competitive history, after playing two seasons ago in Toronto and last season at Mackey Arena.
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Purdue won all three.
“It always is [physical] with them,” Smith said. “They’re a very physical defensive team. That’s what we’ve got to strive for as well, defensively, just being more physical with other teams we play to make it a caliber game like that.
“They did a good job doing that, and obviously we responded well.”
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fletcher Loyer tooth broken, lost in Purdue basketball win at Alabama
