Purdue basketball needed its defense to match efficient offense to beat Iowa
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WEST LAFAYETTE — Braden Smith jumped up with a roar and a triumphant punch through the air, exchanging a casual high five with Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter on his way up the floor. Smith had moments before helped secure the fifth turnover in a crucial two-minute stretch of an eventual 79-72 victory over Iowa. The Boilermakers surged from a nine-point deficit into a three-point lead in that span, finally stringing together the defensive stops which eluded them most of the night. Purdue needed another sequence like that late in the game in order to secure its eight straight win and only the second 6-0 Big Ten start of Painter’s career. On one of the Boilers’ most efficient scoring...