Mason Gillis had been pushed to the bench after missing a game due to illness but continued to provide a great presence off the bench for Purdue. That hard work, persistence, and great attitude led to a game where Purdue fans will fondly remember as ‘the Mason Gillis game’ where he went 9-12 from behind the arc for 29 points and set the Mackey Arena record for most three pointers hit in a game. The 29 points for Mason Gillis is the most for a player off the bench in a major conference all season.
In the first half Purdue was able to figure out the different looks that Penn State was throwing at Purdue after struggling early on as Penn State ran man-to-man, 2-3 zone, and even a triable-2.