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PURDUE 80, WESTERN MICHIGAN 37

Western Michigan actually jumped out to an early lead when Nate Hutcheson launched a three-pointer to open the scoring at the 18:37 mark. After the Boilermakers tied the score a minute later,

Hutcheson again put the Broncos up with a lay-up at the 16:43 mark. Purdue took the lead on the next possession and never relinquished it, eventually gaining a 12-point lead in the half.

The Broncos, however, embarked on a small run to cut the lead against the Boilermakers late in the first half. Demetrius Ward hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 28-18 with less than five minutes remaining. Flenard Whitfield hit a 15-foot jumper on the next possession to slice the lead to eight points, and Shayne Whittington took a deft pass down low from Ward and put it in to make it 28-22 with 2:34 in the first half.

The vaunted Purdue defense upped the pressure from that point, however, and stymied the Broncos for the remainder of the game. The Boilermakers scored 47 points in the second half, shutting down the Broncos in the paint and holding them to just 15 points. Though the Broncos were able to get to the free throw line – they shot a total of 29 free throws – the Boilermakers kept them quiet from the floor.

Mike Douglas scored a team-high eight points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Hutcheson and Whitfield each tied for the game-high with six rebounds apiece.

Courtesy of Western Michigan Athletics