Even without leading scorer, No. 1 Purdue handles New Orleans

Trey Kaufman-Renn came off the bench to score a game-high 24 points and No. 1 Purdue defeated New Orleans 74-53 in a nonconference game Wednesday night in West Lafayette, Ind.

Kaufman-Renn made 8 of 10 field-goal attempts and 8 of 10 free throws and Mason Gillis added 11 points for the Boilermakers (12-0), who won their 33rd consecutive regular-season game against unranked opponents at home or on a neutral court.

Purdue overcame the absence of star center Zach Edey, who averages 22.6 points and 13.9 rebounds but missed the game because of illness.

Jordan Johnson scored 17 points and Tyson Jackson added 14 to lead the Privateers (3-8) of the Southland Conference.

The Boilermakers, who had made just 10 of 54 3-pointers (18.5 percent) in their last two games, improved slightly by shooting 26 percent (5 of 19).

Purdue outscored New Orleans 38-18 in the paint and made 19 of 24 free throws compared to 9 of 11 for the Privateers. The Boilermakers shot 56 percent from the floor, making 25 of 45 attempts.

Khaleb Wilson-Rouse made a 3-pointer to start the second-half scoring and get the Privateers within 17 points.

They got within 17 points twice more before Johnson's basket pulled them within 45-32.

But Kaufman-Renn converted a three-point play to increase the lead to 20 points.

New Orleans closed within 15 points four times, the last being 64-49 on a jumper by Jackson with 4:56 left in the game.

Kaufman-Renn scored the Boilermakers' next six points as they took a 70-51 lead with 2:38 left in the game.

In the first period, Wilson-Rouse made a 3-pointer to give the Privateers a 5-4 lead and Jackson's 3-pointer gave them their final lead at 19-17.

Braden Smith scored six points and Caleb Furst added five during an 18-0 run that gave the Boilermakers a 35-19 lead.

Jackson's basket ended the run before Purdue scored the final six points of the half to take a 41-21 halftime lead.