Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/100949
men���s basketball: news and notes vertime BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com ig Ten play is with Bapproaching. looming,game Wednesday���s Illinois fast Is Purdue ready? Unless something dramatic changed at Christmas, it would not appear so, as the mistakeriddled Boilermakers will need a win over William & Mary just to enter league play with as many wins as losses. Purdue���s last outing, a 66-56 win over Ball State in which the Boilermakers trailed midway through the second half, was no work of art. Nevertheless, Matt Painter hopes he saw at least one sign FLASH FORWARD Game: William & Mary Location: Mackey Arena When: 2 p.m. Saturday Notables: Purdue looks to even its record at 6-6 in its final non-conference game prior to its Big Ten opener against Illinois. ��� The Boilermakers will take the court after an 11-day layoff. ��� Purdue returned to practice after Christmas without Jacob Lawson, who was unable to get back to West Lafayette due to weather, and with three other players late due to snow-related travel issues. ��� William & Mary is 7-3, its only other high-major game to date resulting in a 63-57 loss at Wake Forest. ��� The Tribe runs an offense heavily dependent on the three-pointer; as a team, it shoots 37 percent from deep. ��� Guard Marcus Thornton averages 18 points, one of three William & Mary players averaging 14 points or more. ��� Tim Rusthoven, who���s 6-foot-9, averages 14.1 points and seven rebounds. PURDUE looking for post-holiday progress of modest progress in the win. A team constantly undermined by its own turnovers only gave the ball away nine times against the Cardinals. Baby steps, Painter hopes. ���Last game, we struggled again, but we only turned the ball over nine times,��� the coach said. ���I told them in practice, ���That probably saved us. That probably got us the victory.��� If we turn the ball over 14 or 15 times, we probably lose the game. I think that was a good step. ���Now, whether we get some consistency in that area, that���s yet to be seen.��� Tom Campbell The following is a look at After playing 10 games, Jay Simpson���s been shut down for the season due to lingering foot probPurdue games the last couple lems. The freshman will pursue a medical redshirt. weeks. swered with a run of seven con- kets and defensive plays. secutive points, then held on in ���We moved on offense,��� D.J. PURDUE 66, the final minutes to snap a two- Byrd said of Purdue���s offensive BALL STATE 56 game losing streak. success in the second half. ���Some Dec. 18 ��� Mackey Arena The Boilermakers shot 57 parts of the game, we would just Purdue trailed by two with nine-and-a-half minutes left percent after halftime and com- pass the ball and stand and get against the Cardinals but averted mitted single-digit turnovers for stagnant on offense and not get an embarrassing home loss by only the second time this season. a good shot or get two feet in the A.J. Hammons led Purdue lane (for a shot). We got the ball seizing control from there on out. After Ball State guard and with 15 points and was par- inside and that opened things Lafayette native Jesse Berry ticularly relevant as the Boiler- up for everybody else on the pemade back-to-back threes to put makers re-seized control of the rimeter. Getting (Hammons) the the visitors up 45-43, Purdue an- game, with a few important bas- ball and letting him score strong GoldanDBlack express ��� volume 23, express 15��� ������ 28