Dec. 9, 2000
By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Rodney Smith scored 16 points and earned MVP honors as Purdue beat Alabama A&M 79-51 Saturday night to win its eighth Boilermaker Invitational.
The Boilermakers, who were tied 12-12 midway through the first half, took a 31-point lead in the second half, shot over 55 percent from the floor for the second straight game, and won their third straight overall.
The victory was some good news to an athletic department that hadn't had any all day.
When it was announced Chris Weinke won the Heisman Trophy and Purdue quarterback Drew Brees finished third, the crowd of 13,580 booed loudly. The announcement was followed by the news that the women's basketball team lost to Notre Dame, prompting one fan to sarcastically shout out "Do you have any more good news for us?"
It didn't look like there would be any at the outset, as the Boilermakers missed eight of their first 12 shots. But they quickly turned that around, going on a 27-9 run. Joe Marshall and Willie Deane each made 3-pointers during that stretch, helping Purdue build a 42-26 halftime lead.
The Bulldogs cut the gap to 55-40, but the Boilermakers went on a 27-4 run to seal the win.
Deane scored 13 points and Maynard Lewis had 12.
Nigel Moore led the Bulldogs with 11 points, and Garik Nicholson had 11. The Bulldogs shot 29 percent overall, but did hold a 41-to-29 rebounding edge.
After a one-year hiatus, the invitational returned to the schedule. Purdue won the inaugural tournament in 1990, lost the next year to Wisconsin-Green Bay, and has won it ever since.