College basketball delivered another major upset on Friday night in West Lafayette, Indiana, where Valparaiso handed Purdue a stunning 83-80 defeat in double overtime. Guard Justus McNair sank a corner 3-pointer as the clock expired with the game tied at 80, sealing the victory for Valparaiso and securing Purdue’s second consecutive loss of the season.
Dramatic Finishes Send Game to Extra Periods
Valparaiso forced the first overtime period when Rakim Chaney hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the score at 70. The Boilermakers had earlier established a lead of as many as 15 points during the first half of the matchup.
Entering the contest as 19.5-point favorites, Purdue dropped to an 0-2 record for the first time since the 1976-77 season. The Boilermakers joined other high-major programs suffering shocking defeats during the opening week of the season, following Oklahoma’s opening-night loss to East Texas A&M as a 28.5-point favorite.
Historic Streaks Broken at Mackey Arena
The defeat snapped Purdue’s 23-game home winning streak during the month of November. Furthermore, the setback marked Purdue’s first home loss against a Missouri Valley Conference opponent at Mackey Arena since 1978, when the team fell to an Indiana State squad led by Larry Bird.
The Boilermakers are currently navigating a significant roster transition following the departures of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Fletcher Loyer. That core group provided some of the most experienced leadership in college basketball and guided Purdue to the Elite Eight during their final campaign together. Kaufman-Renn is currently playing his sixth collegiate season with Kansas after receiving a preliminary injunction against the NCAA.
