Gophers Open Big Ten Season With a Loss

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Kendall Stephens scored 19 points, and Purdue rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit to defeat Minnesota 72-68 in the Big Ten opener for both teams on Wednesday.

Raphael Davis scored the Boilermakers' final four points on two free throws with 19 seconds left and then a dunk with 3.8 remaining. Davis added 18 and was 10 of 10 from the foul line.

His two free throws with 2:15 left gave Purdue (9-5) the lead for good, 64-62.

Joey King and Maurice Walker scored 13 apiece for Minnesota (11-3), which had its eight-game winning streak snapped.

Purdue was 22 of 27 from the line, and Minnesota was 14 of 20.

Vince Edwards made two free throws with 4:56 left to give the Boilermakers a 60-58 lead, their first since it was 4-2.