Purdue, a founding member of the Big Ten Conference, is a school with over 30,000 undergraduates and a completely self-sustaining athletic budget of $60 million. The Boilermakers have more Big Ten basketball championships than any other school in the conference and they boast winning records against all members of the conference.
The Boilermakers did not need to play in this tournament in the way Santa Clara did.
But, they played, and the Broncos weren't phased. Mackey Arena isn't exactly Cameron Indoor after all. Santa Clara led from the get go, busting out to a 7-2 lead by the first media timeout. During those early minutes the Boilermakers had four turnovers and five missed field goals.
Purdue got the offense going after that first break. The Boilermakers would close the gap to one possession on multiple occasions, but just couldn't get past that hump.
Marc Trasolini was key for the Broncos in keeping the lead during the first half. Three times in the middle of the half, with the lead down to just one possession, from the same spot ten feet to the left of the hoop he sunk completely uncontested jumpers. However, the other Broncos shot poorly.
Trasolini hit three of his six shots but the others combined for 9-26 (34.6%). Purdue's offense wasn't much better, shooting just 39.4%, but it was enough to give them the lead by the end of the half, 37-33.
The second half was a return to form for the Broncos. It took just over six minutes for Santa Clara to reclaim the lead and the Broncos never looked back. Kevin Foster took the reigns from Marc Trasolini and made nine of his eleven field goals during the second half. Foster's three of nine from deep pushed him into 7th all time in the NCAA in three pointers made. He scored 28 of his 34 points in the second half.
Despite all that Purdue just wouldn't go away.
With 1:02 left the Boilermakers made it a two point game at 80-78 after a steal followed by a Ronnie Johnson and-one. The Broncos didn't panic. They ran 32 seconds off the clock before Kevin Foster picked up his 33rd point, on his third three, to push the lead to 5.
It was nearly that same story with 19.5 seconds left when the Boilermakers notched another old school three point play to make it 83-81. It was Trasolini who got the Broncos going, then Foster who pushed them through the game but Brandon Clarke, from just up the road (eh, sorta) in East Chicago, Indiana, who locked the win up. His free throws in the final seconds made his homecoming perfect.
Santa Clara will face Wright State (eh, sorta down the road) in Dayton, Ohio on Wednesday at 6:00 PM PDT.
For the big school that lost it's all about memories.
Robbie Hummel is all over West Lafayette, Indiana. Sprawled out along advertisements on busses, towering up apartment buildings and smiling on banners hanging along streets. His presence is felt around town and on the basketball court. Around town he's remembered fondly for his exceptional career for the Boilermakers. Inside Mackey Arena his presence is known thru his absence. Following a streak of six seasons with 20 or more wins, the past five of which included Hummel, the Boilermakers end this season with just 16.
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