Trey Kaufman-Renn matched his career high of 30 points and sixth-seeded Purdue avoided the upset with a 76-71 victory over 14th-seeded Southern California on Thursday night in Big Ten tournament play in Indianapolis.
Fletcher Loyer scored 14 points and Braden Smith added 12 points and nine assists for No. 20 Purdue (22-10), which scored the game’s final five points.
The Boilermakers will face third-seeded Michigan in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Desmond Claude scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half for the Trojans (16-17). Wesley Yates III added 13 points and Matt Knowling and Rashau Agee added 11 points apiece.
The Trojans defeated Rutgers in double overtime on Wednesday but didn’t look fatigued while playing Purdue even Thursday.
Kaufman-Renn made two free throws with 28.3 seconds left to give the Boilermakers a 73-71 advantage.
Claude missed a short jumper with 22 seconds left. Purdue got the rebound and Kaufman-Renn was fouled with 13.8 seconds remaining and split two free throws.
The Trojans then were looking for a tying 3-pointer. Claude threw a pass toward Yates, who slipped and fell to the floor. Smith caught the ball for the Boilermakers. He was fouled with 3.6 seconds left and made both free throws to clinch it.
Purdue shot 47.3 percent from the field and connected on 9 of 23 from 3-point range. Kaufman-Renn made 12 of 20 from the field.
USC made 43.5 percent of its shots, including just 7 of 24 from behind the arc.
The score was tied at 35 at the break and USC used an 8-0 run early in the second half to take a 52-46 lead. Chibuzo Agbo finished the run with a trey with 15:18 left in the game.
Agbo hit another 3-pointer to give the Trojans a 56-50 lead with 12:28 remaining before Purdue responded with a 9-2 run and took a 59-58 lead on Loyer’s basket with 9:21 remaining.
Claude hit jumpers on three occasions to give USC a two-point edge. After the third time, Kaufman-Renn had two baskets around a hoop from Smith to give Purdue a 71-67 edge with 2:25 left.
Claude drove for a basket with 2:07 remaining and then swished a free-throw line jumper to tie it at 71 with 54.5 seconds to play.
USC used a 14-1 burst in the first half to take a 28-18 lead. Purdue’s Camden Heide drained two 3-pointers during a 10-0 burst to tie it with 4:23 remaining.
The Boilermakers tied it at 35 on Myles Colvin’s 3-pointer with 41 seconds remaining.
Kaufman-Renn scored 12 points in the first half.