December 8, 1998
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Illinois State coach Kevin Stallings returned to Mackey Arena, where he once played and served as an assistant coach for Purdue.
But the ninth-ranked Boilermakers spoiled Stallings' homecoming by beating the Redbirds 69-55 Tuesday night behind Mike Robinson's 17 points.
"Purdue turned up the intensity in the second half," said Stallings, who played for Purdue coach Gene Keady from 1980 to 1982, and then served as an assistant on Keady's staff from 1983 to 1988.
"I told them that the game was won on the boards. At critical times when they needed a shot, they hit them. They really hit the offensive boards."
Jaraan Cornell added 14 points for Purdue (8-1), which was outscored 13-2 in the final five minutes of the first half to fall behind 31-30 at the break. But the Boilermakers opened the second half with a 16-4 run, taking a 46-35 lead on Robinson's three-point play with 13:55 left.
Illinois State (6-3) pulled within 54-48 with 8:16 remaining, but the Redbirds never got any closer in the final eight minutes.
L. Dee Murdock led Illinois State with 12 points.
The Redbirds held Purdue scoreless in the final 3:56 of the first half and overcame a 13-point deficit to take a one-point halftime lead.
Purdue led 26-13 with 5:58 remaining in the opening half on a baseline jumper by Robinson, who was averaging only nine points per game.
"Illinois State played hard, and fought back," Keady said. "They did the things you have to do be competitive. That part I knew would happen. That is the way Kevin coaches and the way he always played."
Gary McQuay made a layup to give Purdue a 28-18 lead, but the Boilermakers scored only two more points the rest of the half on free throws by Alan Eldridge and Maynard Lewis.
Kyle Cartmill began the Illinois State comeback with two free throws and Tarise Bryson hit a 3-pointer with 1:01 left in the half to put Illinois State up 31-30.
Bryson scored 11 points for Illinois State, while Jaraan Cornell and Brian Cardinal each had 11 for Purdue.