PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Purdue men’s basketball , at long last, made an emphatic statement in Tuesday’s Big Ten road opener at Rutgers.

The No. 1 Boilermakers cruised to a 81-65 victory at Jersey Mike’s Arena. They had lost five of their last six Big Ten road openers and six of their last seven December road games.

Here's what I liked and disliked, and what the Boilers' win means.

What I liked in Purdue basketball's win at Rutgers

Gicarri Harris finally got going a bit Friday against Eastern Illinois. That spark carried into Tuesday, when he hit three first-half 3s while scoring 11 points before the break. That was one short of his career high — set in that win over the Panthers. Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!

The shooting boost in

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