subject: Ncaa Basketball Tickets - No. 5 Purdue Beats Valpo 86-62 [print this page] JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore scored 19 points apiece, and the fifth-ranked Boilermakers made 10 of 22 3-point attempts to beat Valparaiso 86-62. Get NCAA basketball tickets and see Moore lead the Boilermakers to victory. Purdue (8-0) has built a reputation for playing aggressive man-to-man defense, but the Boilermakers also displayed their high-scoring offense. Purdue fans saw their team record 20 assists on 29 field goals. Moore tied a career high with five 3-pointers for the Boilermakers, who are off to their best start since the 1993-94 season.
Purdue coach Matt Painter said his team wasn't in a comfort zone, but noted that Purdue felt confident. The coach told the press, "When you get comfortable, you get beat. That's why you have to keep players on edge." Robbie Hummel went 3 for 3 from 3-point range and finished the game with 15 points for the Boilermakers. Purdue's Keaton Grant added 10 points, while Chris Kramer had seven assists and made three steals.
The Boilermakers were struggling with their shooting in the beginning of the season, but shot 53 percent against Valparaiso. It's the second straight game where they have shot better than 50 percent. Hummel explained that his team "just started making shots" and claimed Purdue hasn't done anything different.
The Boilermakers certainly haven't done anything different on defense. Purdue held the Crusaders to 42 percent shooting and created 18 turnovers. They entered the contest ranked ninth in the nation with 20 turnovers forced per game. After the game, Crusaders coach Homer Drew said, "This has been our worst performance." The coach added that Purdue's defense played well. Although Brandon Wood led Valparaiso with 21 points and had nine rebounds, the Boilermakers defense was just too much to overcome. Cory Johnson scored 11 points for the Crusaders (3-6).
The game was Purdue's final warm-up before playing at Alabama on Dec. 12. Painter was pleased with the way his team handled Valparaiso, considering the fact that their next game will be against a marquee opponent. The coach stated it shows the maturity of his team and that Purdue was ready to play every single night.
Johnson scored nine quick points, and the Boilermakers made nine of its first 11 shots to take a commanding 23-3 lead in the first half. Kramer's strong performance in the first half included banking a layup while falling to the floor. Kramer was able to draw a foul on that play and knocked down a free throw, which gave Purdue a 30-8 lead.
The Boilermakers shot 59 percent overall in the opening 20 minutes and took a 47-25 lead at halftime. Moore made 5 of 5 from long range and dominated the first half with 17 points. Purdue's starters made 22 of 39 shots and had 14 assists. They turned the ball over only three times. Painter reinstated that it was Purdue's confidence that won the game. The coach stated that his "starters were sharp and simply ready to play. It's good to see those guys get in a rhythm."
