GBI Express

The Authority on Purdue Athletics volume 22, EX 21 • FEB. 13, 2012 In this issue: • Page 6: Dissecting NCAA hopes • Page 14: Coaches View • Pages 20-22: Football Notes No Backing Down Increased effort sparks Purdue BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com Inside The Numbers T he ball seemed destined for Northwestern. Terone Johnson already had missed a shot, the rebound chased down by point guard Lewis Jackson, only to have Ryne Smith follow by missing a three-pointer. That rebound went long and headed for the sidelines, set to bounce out and give the lucky fans in the front row a piece of the action. They certainly ended up getting that. Johnson raced for the ball and lunged to save it. He did — to Smith — but couldn't stop from tumbling into that front row, getting little help from the fans there, and crashing into the floor. Johnson slowly got to his feet and climbed over the padding back onto the court. And promptly got back involved in the offense and made a basket. That is what Matt Painter has been urging his players to provide, an all-out hustle, no-fear attitude. And he actually saw it last week, first in a devastating 87-84 loss at No. 3 Ohio State and then in a bounce-back 87-77 victory over Northwestern on Sunday in Mackey Arena. "I liked our effort," Painter said after the Northwestern game, GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com 3 7 36 The football team's new defensive staff members, after Kevin Wolthausen was hired to coach the D-line last week. The Purdue women's team's consecutive losses at Ohio State, including the latest on Sunday, since last winning in Columbus in 2004. The number of games that Robbie Hummel has appeared in since scoring more than 27 points, his total vs. Northwestern Sunday and the second-highest output of his career. He scored a career-high 35 against Ohio State on Jan. 12, 2010. The number of points D.J. Byrd has scored in the past two games, compared to the number of points he scored in 13 non-conference games earlier in the season. Purdue's average point total in its last two Big Ten games, the most in consecutive conference games since Feb. 19/24, 2000, a span of 188 regular seasonleague contests. 44/41 Tom Campbell Terone Johnson emerges from the front row of seats after diving to save a rebound in the first half of Purdue's 87-77 victory over Northwestern. "and that's what we've got (to do is) to keep working in that direction and keep working hard and just playing hard." There's little other choice for these Boilermakers, who are fight- ing to build a résumé that's worthy of an NCAA Tournament berth. Purdue showed some moxie, too, last week. Despite being 15-point underdogs in Columbus, it didn't back down and fought to a 73-all tie in the final five minutes before Ohio State's William Buford decided the game with his playmaking abilities. Still, "I thought we had a 85.5 better fight to us," Painter said afterward. Against Northwestern, the Boilermakers not only heard the coaches' pleas to make themselves Gold & Black IllustrateD • volume 22, express 21  •  1

• Cover