Nov. 26, 2003
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Kenneth Lowe scored 26 points as Purdue defeated Texas State 61-50 Wednesday night in the opening round of the Great Alaska Shootout.
Lowe scored 14 points in the second half, including 11 in an 18-3 run that broke open a close game.
Purdue (2-0) trailed most of the first half. Texas State (1-2) took its biggest lead, 24-18, with 3:38 remaining on a 3-pointer by Nick Ponder.
The Boilermakers scored the next eight points, six by Lowe, and the teams went into halftime tied at 26.
Purdue shot just 24 percent in the first half but stayed close on 9-of-11 free throw shooting. The Bobcats missed all four of their first-half attempts.
Purdue trailed 34-31 just over four minutes into the second half when it began the decisive run. Texas State was held to three free throws over more than eight minutes as the Boilermakers took a 47-37 lead with 8:05 remaining.
A 3-pointer by Zach Allison closed the gap to 49-45 at 5:08 but Texas State could get no closer.
Brandon McKnight had 13 points for the Boilermakers.
Allison led Texas State with 14 and Terry Conerway scored 11.