Indiana beats rival Purdue to clinch share of Big Ten title

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Mackenzie Holmes scored 20 points and Grace Berger added 14 points and 10 assists as No. 2 Indiana beat Purdue 83-60 on Sunday to clinch a share of its first Big Ten regular-season title in 40 years.

The Hoosiers (26-1, 16-1 Big Ten) won their 14th straight game, matching the second-longest winning streak in school history, before cutting down the nets in front of the program's first home sellout. Indiana has broken its single-game attendance mark four times this season and celebrated its 18th straight home win in front of 17,222.

Lasha Petree led Purdue with 23 points and Abbey Ellis added 12. The Boilermakers (17-8, 8-7) have lost nine straight in this rivalry.

Students and fans lined up outside the arena doors hours before tipoff, and the party continued though the traditional senior day festivities, the introduction of Indiana's only other regular-season title team from 1982-83 and the long-awaited postgame net-cutting.

Still, the Boilermakers made it tough on Indiana.

They closed the first half on a 7-0 run to cut a 10-point deficit to 37-34 and were down five early in the second half.

But Berger and Holmes combined for six straight points and Chloe Moore-McNeil added a midrange jumper to make it 52-39 with 4:19 left in the third quarter. After Purdue scored five straight, the Boilermakers gave those points right back on one play — with Moore-McNeil making a 3-pointer and Sydney Parrish making two throws to give Indiana a 60-44 lead with 1:15 left.

The Boilermakers never recovered.

BIG PICTURE

Purdue: After hanging around for a half, the Boilermakers ran into a perfect second-half storm. Better days are ahead for coach Katie Gearlds and her program as they try to make their NCAA tournament case.