Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) smiles Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Trey Kaufman-Renn leads No. 13 Purdue in upset win over No. 2 Alabama

By Austen Bundy | Last updated Nov 15, 2024 9:48 PM ET

College basketball fans were treated to a heavyweight bout on Friday night.

No. 13 Purdue took down No. 2 Alabama in a massive early-season upset 87-78.

The Boilermakers, who came up short in last season's national championship game, edged the Crimson Tide on the back of junior Trey Kaufman-Renn who tallied 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Both teams shot well from the field and drained exactly nine three-pointers a piece, but Purdue saw the ball go through the hoop from beyond the arc at more well-timed moments, like at the halftime buzzer, to earn a momentum-building 42-40 lead.

FLETCHER LOYER AT THE BUZZER.

Purdue goes into the half up two.
: Alabama v. Purdue on Peacock pic.twitter.com/hgt2fbdb3Q
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 16, 2024

The Boilermakers out-scored Alabama 45-38 in the second half.

Alabama entered the season with high expectations to improve upon its Final Four appearance in last season's NCAA tournament.

Purdue, notably, lost star 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey to the NBA in the offseason, but it seems to have picked up right where it left off without missing a beat.

Interestingly, had Alabama defeated eventual national champion UConn in the tournament semifinal, then Friday's contest would've been a rematch of the potential national title game.

The Crimson Tide will return to Tuscaloosa after suffering their first loss of the year to host another Big Ten foe, Illinois, on Nov. 20 before facing four straight ranked opponents.

Purdue, meanwhile, will travel to Wisconsin to take on No. 15 Marquette on Nov. 19 and defend its unexpected undefeated season.

Austen Bundy

Austen Bundy is a journalist and sports junkie from the Washington, D. C. area

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