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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NORMAL, Ill. (AP) -- When Purdue coach Gene Keady has looked down
the bench this season, his perpetual scowl has taken on even
greater intensity.
Keady has gotten little production from his reserves and knows
that's a bad omen with the Big Ten season approaching. So when
sophomore guard Maynard Lewis came off the bench to spark the
Boilermakers (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, No. 25 AP) to a 86-75 win over Illinois State on Tuesday night, Keady was pleased.
"He finally cut loose and played like he has been playing in practice," Keady said of Lewis.
Through five game this season, Purdue's starters had combined to
play 809 of a possible 1,000 minutes and combined to score 341 of
the team's 384 points (89 percent).
"It was great to see someone come off the bench and give us a
shot in the arm," Keady said.
Lewis and Jaraan Cornell scored 19 points apiece to lead five
players in double figures as No. 25 Purdue pulled away for the win.
Purdue (4-2) was clinging to a 50-49 lead with just over 13
minutes to play when the Boilermakers went on a 13-3 run over the
next three minutes that put the game away. Cornell hit two jumpers
during the run, while Lewis knocked down one of his three
3-pointers.
Illinois State (2-4) never got closer than nine points thereafter.
Both teams were hot from the outside throughout the contest.
Purdue was 10-of-17 from beyond the 3-point line, while the
Redbirds went 7-of-14. Lewis, whose 19 was a career high, was
perfect in three attempts from beyond the arc.
Brian Cardinal scored 14 points for the Boilermakers, while
Carson Cunningham added 13 and Mike Robinson 10. Purdue shot 55
percent from the field for the game.
"Anytime you win on the road you gotta be happy," Keady said. " ... I thought the first half was well-played by both teams. We both played hard and Illinois State runs one of the more effective motion offenses I've seen."
ISU's Tarise Bryson kept the Redbirds in the game by hitting all
five of his 3-point attempts on his way to a team-high 22 points.
L. Dee Murdock contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds for the
Redbirds. P.J. Smith had 14 points and Shawn Jeppson 13.
Sparked by Bryson and Jeppson, the Redbirds jumped out to leads
of 18-11 and 28-21 before 8,860 at Redbird Arena. Purdue recovered
each time and led 37-35 at the half.
"The game went in Purdue's favor at the end of the first
half," said ISU head coach Tom Richardson.
ISU did hang around for the first seven minutes of the second
half before Purdue went on its run. The Boilermakers' lead expanded
to 19 before Illinois State closed the gap in the final two
minutes.
It was the seventh meeting all-time between the two schools and
Purdue has won all of them, including a 69-55 decision last season
in Mackey Arena.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Purdue Clubhouse
Illinois State Clubhouse
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