GBI Express

Gold and Black Express, Vol 25, EX 15

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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 15 • 1 BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com T wice to start Big Ten play, Purdue trailed by a significant margin at halftime on its home floor, by 11 to Minnesota, then eight against Michigan. Twice, though, the Boilermakers rallied in second halves en route to important vic- tories, responding favorably in those slip- pery-slope moments in which they folded during a three-game losing streak to end non-conference play. And so, things look better for Purdue to- day then they did a little more than a week ago, when consecutive losses to Vanderbilt, Notre Dame and Gardner-Webb seemed to throw the season off its rails. No one's celebrating, though. After both early Big Ten wins, during the ensuing locker room festivities, players have spoken up to diffuse postgame elation and bring up the opponent to come. Now, the opponent is a beast. Purdue plays Wednesday night at Wis- consin, the nation's fourth-ranked team and a matchup nightmare for the Boilermakers, along with a lot of other teams. "It's good to start off 2-0," Coach Matt Painter said, "but it's also good to understand we had two home games and it's tough to win on the road. We need to have a focus going to play one of the best teams in the country." It gets no easier after Madi- son, as 12th-ranked Maryland — looking like the Big Ten's second-best team right now — visits Mackey Arena. Things are starting to take shape, though, for Purdue, as critical returnees A.J. Hammons and Kendall Stephens have el- evated their play in conference action so far. Hammons, whose recent play has been much-needed as freshman center Isaac Haas has struggled, recorded 11 points and nine rebounds against Minnesota, then 15 and 12 vs. the Wolverines. "He's enjoying himself," junior Rapheal Davis said of Hammons' recent play. "When he's enjoying himself and having fun, the sky's the limit for us." Stephens, after a brutal three-game run, dropped 19 points, including game-turning back-to-back second-half threes, against the Gophers, then made another big three dur - ing Purdue's second-half deluge over Michi- gan. "Kendall Stephens and A.J. Hammons were productive," Painter said after the Min- nesota game. "We're not going to win very many games when they're not productive." Davis has showed up in a big way for Purdue lately, looking like an experienced Tom Campbell A.J. Hammons' play of late has Purdue pointed in the right direction. 10 Consecutive losses against top-5 teams in true road games dating back to 1994 win at No. 3 Michi- gan. Purdue travels to No. 4 Wisconsin Wednesday. 38 Points E'Twaun Moore scored vs. No. 2 Ohio State in 2011 in Mack- ey, the last time Boilermakers beat a top-5 ranked team. 27-3 The Boilermaker women's record against the Hoo- siers, dating back to 1998, after defeating IU by 22 on Sunday in Mackey. 1 Time since 1964 that Purdue rallied in back-to back victories after trailing by double digits in the same season in Big Ten play (in 1983). That is, until this last week. THE NUMBERS VOLUME 25, EX 15 • JAN. 5, 2015 Inside | Boilermakers start strong 7-11 Women topple IU 14–19 | Recruits 20–21 Football notes 24-26 Purdue Seems Righted To Start Big Ten

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