Jan. 3, 2001
By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Kenny Lowe scored 19 points, and Purdue went on a 20-4 second-half run to beat Michigan 80-60 on Wednesday night in both teams' Big Ten opener.
The Boilermakers (8-3) led by nine early in the second half when Rodney Smith scored a layup off a Carson Cunningham steal. Lowe followed with a 3-pointer on the next possession for a 55-41 lead.
Purdue scored 15 of the next 19 points, and eventually stretched the lead to 25 points. Lowe and Willie Deane, who finished with 6 points, scored 13 of those.
Smith scored 16 points, and Maynard Lewis and John Allison each had 14.
Michigan (6-6) kept the game close in the first half thanks to 50 percent shooting from the floor. With just 4-1/2 minutes left in the game, the two teams were nearly identical from the floor - Purdue was 25-of-50, and Michigan was 23-of-50.
The Wolverines' performance from the free-throw line and 3-point range was the difference. The Wolverines missed nine of their first 11 attempts from the line and finished 6-of-17. They were 4-of-19 from 3-point range, compared with Purdue's 6-for-10.
Avery Queen led the Wolverines with 17 points.
Smith and Lewis each scored 10 points in the first half on a combined 8-of-13 shooting. A 3-pointer by Austin Parkinson before the buzzer gave Purdue a 43-33 halftime lead.
Purdue has won eight of its last nine games.