Braden Smith blamed himself for No. 5 Purdue’s first-half struggles against Iowa. The preseason All-American responded by reverting to his familiar form the rest of the way.

The Hawkeyes, with first-year coach Ben McCollum and star guard Bennett Stirtz, were looking for their first signature win. The Boilers denied them. Here's what we learned.

Game summary of the Purdue Boilermakers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes NCAAM game, final score 79-72, from January 14, 2026 on ESPN.

Braden Smith scored all 16 of his points in the second half and tied the Big Ten record for assists in conference play, and No. 5 Purdue overcame a nine-point to beat Iowa 79-72 on Wednesday night.

Iowa gave No. 5 Purdue on its home court on Wednesday night, but the Boilermakers pulled through. Here are a few quick thoughts from the 79-72 victory.

Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m. ET from Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers are 10.5-point favorites per the latest Purdue vs. Iowa odds, while the over/under for total points is 142.5. Before making any Iowa vs. Purdue picks, check out the men's college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

Purdue Fort Wayne, 69–57, the Phoenix have now not only won their sixth game in a row but also are perfect at 8–0 at home and are 9-0 in the Horizon League

Fifth-ranked Purdue will host Iowa on Wednesday at Mackey Arena. Follow along for live updates, news, and analysis from Mackey Arena.

RailSplitters Authentics is hosting the Tippecanoe Sports Collectible Show on Saturday, Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Fairgrounds' West Wing, 1406 Teal Road in Lafayette.