Spartans stop No. 3 Purdue’s 10-game run
February 28, 2010
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP)—Raymar Morgan had 16 points and 11 rebounds to helpNo. 14 Michigan State beat No. 3 Purdue 53-44 on Sunday and snap theBoilermakers’ 10-game win streak.
Draymond Green added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Spartans (22-7, 12-4Big Ten), who avenged a 76-64 loss to the Boilermakers on Feb. 9 in EastLansing, Mich.
E’Twaun Moore scored 12 points, and JaJuan Johnson and Chris Kramer scored11 for Purdue in its first game since losing versatile forward Robbie Hummel.The junior tore the ACL in his right knee last Wednesday against Minnesota andwill miss the rest of the season.
Opportunity knocked for Purdue (24-4, 12-4) a day after No. 1 Kansas lost toOklahoma State and No. 2 Kentucky lost to Tennessee. Instead, the Boilermakersfell a half game behind Ohio State in the Big Ten race.
Michigan State outrebounded Purdue 46-20 to overcome 23 turnovers. Purdueshot 30 percent from the field and posted its lowest point total of the season.
Purdue shot poorly early, but stayed in the game at the free-throw line.
Michigan State led 22-16 before Purdue temporarily found its offensiverhythm. A steal and dunk by Kramer cut Michigan State’s lead to 22-21, and a3-pointer by Keaton Grant tied the score at 24 with 3:45 left in the first half.
Michigan State’s Derrick Nix was called for a technical foul after he misseda dunk, then caught the ball while still hanging on the rim and dunked it inwith his right hand. Moore made the technical free throws to give Purdue a 26-24lead.
The Boilermakers led 28-26 at halftime, despite shooting 32 percent andgetting a combined 2-for-13 shooting effort from Moore and Johnson.
Michigan State held Purdue to one basket during a 16-6 run that gave theSpartans a 42-34 lead with 11 minutes left.
Purdue had a chance to creep back into the game in the final minutes, butcouldn’t get a rebound. Green posted up against Kramer, missed, but tipped theball twice before finally scoring to make it 50-44 with 1:20 to play.
Moore missed a 3-pointer, then Lucas found Morgan for a lob near the basket.Morgan made the layup, was fouled and converted the 3-point play to put the gameout of reach.
Comments
Got something to say?