Jan 5, 2002
Purdue-Michigan Box Score in PDF Format
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Bernard Robinson Jr. scored a season-high 20 points and LaVell Blanchard added 18 Saturday to help Michigan to a 79-75 Big Ten victory over Purdue.
Chris Young also had 14 points for the Wolverines (6-5, 2-0), who are off to their best start in the conference since the 1997-98 season.
Willie Deane had 19 points and Darmetreis Kilgore added 18 for Purdue (8-8, 0-2). It is the first time since 1993 that the Boilermakers started the Big Ten season 0-2.
Trailing 39-30 at halftime, the Boilermakers scored eight of the first 13 points of the second half to pull within 44-38 with 17:06 left. All of Purdue's points came within the paint, unlike the first half when the team exhibited no signs of an inside game.
Rodney Smith's 6-foot shot cut the deficit to 50-46 with 12:33 to play. Purdue kept the game close and climbed within 57-54 with on Deane's layup with 9:29 to go.
Following Maynard Lewis' rebound basket that brought the margin to 59-56, the Wolverines answered with a 3-point basket by Blanchard, a dunk by Young and a 3-pointer by Gavin Groninger that put Michigan up 67-56 with 6:03 remaining.
The Wolverines extended the lead to 69-59 on Blanchard's 8-foot shot, but Kligore hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut it to 69-65 with 3:16 remaining. Deane brought the Boilermakers within 73-70 with a 3-pointer with 54 seconds to go.
After Robinson Jr. hit a floating layup with 23 seconds left, Smith made a 3-pointer to cut it to 75-73 with 15 to go. Gronginger and Robinson Jr. each converted two free throws in the final 13 seconds to seal the win.