Indiana wasn't going away. Not this time. Not with this Friday night focus and intensity against No. 10 Purdue.

The Hoosiers found a level at Mackey Arena it hadn't reached in any game this season, punished with dribble penetration, clutch perimeter shooting and blunt-force tenacity.

And yet …

A cliffhanger of a game that featured 15 lead changes and six ties came down the final 11 seconds. Six-straight Purdue points delivered an 81-76 Boilermaker victory and prevented a huge Hoosier upset. It was a painful follow up to IU's 79-78 loss to Maryland five days earlier.

"It's very frustrating," fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway said. "We're right there. We have to finish. It's making the right plays down the stretch. That's the difference."

A huge difference came when Galloway, who was basically unstoppable in the second half, didn't have the ball in the closing seconds with Purdue up 77-76. Redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice did and his driving shot was blocked.

"We were fortunate Trey didn't have the ball in his hands at the end," Purdue head coach Matt Painter said. "He was torching us. He was really good in the second half. That was huge."

IU head coach Mike Woodson said he tried to get Rice's attention to call a timeout. Rice finished 0-for-4 from the field and didn't score.

"We have to connect better," Woodson said. "I believe in him. I have to help him."

Rivalry ferocity hit hard and often. This was not a game for the timid, not a showdown for the meek. IU's five early offensive rebounds produced seven second-chance points and a we-ain't-going-away statement.

And yet …

The Hoosiers lost for the fifth time in six games.

"Our guys competed," Woodson said. "They did a hell of a job, but it's about winning."

Purdue (17-5 overall, 9-2 in the Big Ten) scored 26 points off of IU's 20 turnovers. That, Woodson said, was the difference.

"That was huge. You can't turn it over like that on the road. They made us pay."

Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako led Indiana (14-8, 5-6) with 25 points. Galloway had 15 points and five assists. Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo had 14 points. Senior forward Luke Goode had 13.

"Mack stepped up," Woodson said. "Goode played extremely well."

Three Hoosiers fouled out -- Ballo, fifth-year senior guard Anthony Leal and junior forward Malik Reneau.

Purdue got a combined 47 points from guard Braden Smith and junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn.

"We've been in so many of these games," Smith said. "We're comfortable in them. We don't bat an eye. It was an ugly win, but we'll take it."

Goode and Mgbako combined for 21 of IU's first 23 points. The sold-out Mackey Arena crowd, typically an intimidating force, was silenced into first-half irrelevance.

The Hoosiers' 41-37 halftime lead was fueled by 55% shooting -- a carryover from pre-game warm-up sharpshooting -- and a 19-12 rebounding edge that blunted its 10 turnovers.

"IU manhandled us at the rim in the first half," Painter said. "They were quicker to the ball. Goode was a big player in the first half. Galloway was really good in the second half."

IU started big with Reneau and Ballo, but Reneau's two early fouls gave Goode an opportunity. He capitalized for 13 first-half points on 4-for-6 shooting and three 3-pointers.

Purdue opened the game by missing its first three free throw attempts. IU hammered the offensive boards, Mgbako made a pair of layups, and the Hoosiers edged ahead 6-5.

Reneau picked up a pair of fouls in less than five minutes. Purdue surged to an 11-6 lead. A Goode 3-pointer pushed IU ahead 18-17 after nine minutes. Goode added two free throws off a Boilermaker technical foul for a 23-20 lead.

IU's 9-0 run produced a 36-29 lead and forced a Purdue timeout. By halftime, the Hoosiers led 41-37 and were positioned for an upset victory. Goode set the pace with 13 points. Mgbako had 11. Ballo had nine.

Purdue opened the second half on an 11-1 run for a 48-42 lead, igniting eardrum-rocking crowd roars and forcing a Woodson timeout.

The Boilers built a seven-point lead but couldn't extend it. The Hoosiers surged ahead 63-58 fueled by seven-straight Mgbako points.

Purdue tied it at 67-67 with four minutes left. An Mgbako 3-pointer gave IU a 70-69 lead as the clock ticked under three minutes. His two free throws tied it at 72-72.

Free throws got the Boilers a 75-72 lead. Two Galloway baskets pushed IU ahead 76-75 with 25 seconds left. It needed one more stop. Instead, Kaufman-Renn scored on an inside hook shot.

Following Rice's blocked shot, Boiler guard Fletcher Loyer added a pair of free throws. Kaufman-Renn had two free throws of his own.

"The effort was there," Galloway said. "We fought through a bunch of runs. We have to continue to keep competing. That's the main thing. There were some plays we have to clean up. That was the difference."

Added Woodson: "It's about making plays down the stretch and securing the win. We had our chances. Kauffman made that hook shot and we didn't capitalize coming back the other way."

IU's grueling schedule continues with a Tuesday trip to No. 17 Wisconsin.

"There are a lot of games left," Galloway said. "We have to find ways to win. We want to win in the worst way possible. 

"It's always challenging to lose like this. We're looking forward to going to Wisconsin."