Valparaiso Upsets No. 24 Purdue With Buzzer Beater

Justus McNair hit a three-pointer at the buzzer in double overtime to give Valparaiso an 83-80 upset victory over No. 24 Purdue on Friday night.

Purdue struggles with shooting and 0-2 start

The loss leaves the Boilermakers at 0-2 for the season, their worst start in 50 years. This follows a 78-72 season-opening loss to No. 15 Gonzaga in Las Vegas on Monday, Nov. 2. USA Today reported that the defeat is the program’s first 0-2 start since the 1976-77 season.

Purdue’s offensive struggles were defined by a poor performance from behind the arc. The team connected on just 5-of-28 attempts from three-point range, a mark that noted they shot only 5-of-21 against Gonzaga earlier in the week. Combined, the Boilermakers have shot 10-of-49 from three-point range for the first two games, a percentage of 20.4%.

Chaney and McNair lead Valparaiso comeback

Valparaiso overcame a 32-20 halftime deficit to secure the win. Sophomore guard Rakim Chaney led all scorers with 35 points on 14-of-22 shooting, adding eight rebounds and six assists. IndyStar reported that Chaney fouled out with 4:02 remaining in the second overtime. Before fouling out, Chaney hit a contested three-pointer at the end of the first overtime to tie the game at 70-all.

McNair provided the decisive play, scoring 17 points.

Valparaiso coach Roger Powell Jr. attributed the victory to his team’s resilience. These guys are special. We’ve got a special bunch. … they never give up, that’s a part of our program, our culture we talk about grit and they showed a bunch of grit today, Powell said, according to The Spokesman-Review. Powell, who played at Illinois from 2001-05, was interviewed after the game by his former coach Bruce Weber.

Jacobsen delivers career performance in loss

Despite the loss, Purdue center Daniel Jacobsen recorded a career-best 28 points and 10 rebounds. The 7-foot-4 junior shot 9-of-13 from the field and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. Painter praised his development, stating, He’s a damn good player, is a damn good college player, going to be a good pro. His development never stopped. You just don’t see some of it.

Other notable contributors for the Boilermakers included:

• C.J. Cox: 13 points and 12 rebounds
• Gicarri Harris: 11 points
• Jack Benter: 8 points, including two three-pointers
• Antione West Jr.: 7 points
• Raleigh Burgess: 6 points
• Luke Ertel: 3 points
• Caden Pierce: 2 points on 1-of-5 shooting in 41 minutes
• Omer Mayer: 2 points on 1-of-11 shooting

Princeton transfer Caden Pierce, who was the 2023-24 Ivy League Player of the Year, noted the importance of utilizing Jacobsen’s size. I’ve never played with a 7-footer, let alone 7-foot-4, Pierce said. When he has position inside, you’ve got to reward him. You’ve got to throw him the ball.

Purdue pays Valparaiso for non-conference game

As part of the non-conference scheduling agreement, Purdue paid Valparaiso $90,000 for the game. IndyStar noted that the payment covered Valparaiso’s fee and travel to Mackey Arena.

Purdue will look to begin its Big Ten schedule on Monday, Nov. 9, when it hosts Illinois State at Mackey Arena at 8:30 p.m. Valparaiso travels to face San Diego State on Wednesday, Nov. 11.