February 13, 1999
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Illinois coach Lon Kruger called it a game of "streaks and stretches."
But while Kruger's team had runs of 10-0 and 17-0, No. 21 Purdue had a streak when it really counted - hitting all eight free throw attempts in the last three minutes to beat Illinois 63-56 Saturday.
The victory was the first time all season the Boilermakers (18-7 overall, 6-5 Big Ten) have won back-to-back games in the conference - something that made coach Gene Keady very pleased.
"It's the first Saturday, I think since Christmas, that I'm going to be able to go home and enjoy seeing my wife and not have to worry about the next morning's papers saying something negative about the way I coach. Hah," Keady laughed. "Is that beautiful or what?"
Jaraan Cornell scored a career-high 30 points - including three crucial 3-pointers within three minutes in the second half - to lead Purdue.
"It was a case of I just took some open shots and wanted to knock them down," Cornell said. "The point guard did a good job of finding me."
Illinois (10-15, 2-11) scored the last 12 points of the first half and the first five of the second to take a 35-24 lead.
But Purdue went to work from long range, hitting five 3-pointers - including the three by Cornell - to take a 47-46 lead with just over nine minutes to play.
A tip-in by Cleotis Brown put Illinois up 52-51 six minutes later, but Purdue then hit six straight free throws to make it 57-52.
Sergio McClain's two free throws closed Illinois to within three points with 1:01 left to play, but Carson Cunningham's jumper 30 seconds later made it 59-54. Two Cornell free throws with 12 seconds left put the game out of reach.
"We got back on our heels instead of pushing further, and it hurts," said McClain. "If we could have just stopped Cornell we would have had the edge. Once he started hitting threes in the second half, that built up his confidence and it was hard to contain him."
Cunningham added 10 points for the Boilermakers.
Cory Bradford led Illinois (10-15, 2-11) with 23 points, including six-of-eight shooting in the first half.
Illinois' Victor Chukwudebe led all players with eight rebounds, and Illinois outrebounded Purdue 36-26.
In the first half, Illinois did not score its first basket until more than six minutes had passed, and Purdue led 15-6 with 10:49 left in the half.
Illinois went on a 10-0 run to take a 16-15 lead.
Purdue then scored three straight 3-pointers to make it 24-18 with 4:16 left to play, but Illinois scored the last 12 points of the half - including eight straight by Bradford - to take a 30-24 lead into the break.
By TARA BURGHART
Associated Press Writer