Cunningham breaks out of
'Cocoon' in Boilermaker win
By Paul Trembacki
Sports
Editor
With some time to spare before Purdue's 8 p.m.
game Saturday, Carson Cunningham, in a mini-slump, went to the VCR for
a little help.
"Cocoon," a movie about aging people rediscovering
their youth, was what the zany guard watched.
"I was inspired by all the old people who jumped
in the pool, and I applied that to myself," said Cunningham, who scored
a season-high 21 points to lead Purdue to an 83-68 win over Minnesota
Saturday night in Mackey Arena.
The 23-year-old fifth-year senior, who had double
knee surgery in the offseason, played 31 minutes and hit 7 of 14 from
the field, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range.
Cunningham was one of five Boilers in double figures.
Rodney Smith and John Allison had 15 each. Allison, who was named co-captain
of the team Friday, joining Cunningham and Smith, added eight rebounds
and four blocks. Kenneth Lowe had 11 points, all of which came in a
13-2 Purdue run in the second half.
But Cunningham's game was the surprise of the night.
In five games prior to Saturday's win, Cunningham
had combined for just 26 points. In a 66-55 loss to Indiana Tuesday,
Cunningham was 0 for 6 from the field and missed his lone free throw
attempt.
"It was nice to hit a shot, just even a freakin'
shot," Cunningham said Saturday. "I've got to help this team score,
so basically it's nice to help in that fashion."
Purdue coach Gene Keady was glad to see his lone
senior produce.
"He's starting to get some lift now in his legs
and maybe those legs are coming around to the point where he can be
a lot more successful," Keady said.
Cunningham found success right away Saturday, hitting
a 3-pointer on Purdue's first possession of the game and canning another
to give the Boilers (13-6, 5-3 Big Ten) a 10-8 lead. They would never
trail again.
After Minnesota (15-5, 3-4) got to within five
at 32-27, Purdue closed the half on a 12-0 run that included a 3-pointer
from Cunningham and five points from Lewis.
Purdue led by 17, 44-27, at the half. On Jan. 17
in Minneapolis, the Boilers trailed by 17, 35-18, in a 70-67 loss to
Minnesota Jan. 17.
Minnesota coach Dan Monson said his team lost the
game in the first half.
"We can't afford to go on the road and let them
get comfortable in their own home," he said. "On the road you have to
dictate tempo and we let them dictate tempo."
But after a Monson tirade at halftime Minnesota
came out with better intensity in the second half. The Golden Gophers
went on an 18-6 run that included eight points from freshman Michael
Bauer. Bauer's 3-pointer with 15:06 mark made the score 50-45 in favor
of Purdue.
Bauer had 12 points and eight rebounds at that
juncture but at the 14:23 mark, Bauer stumbled, fell and severely broke
his left wrist. His arm was reset at Home Hospital in Lafayette.
"I'm pretty sure he's out for the year," Monson
said. "But that's just a coach guessing."
Keady was sympathetic.
"It's a bad break and I feel sorry for the young
man because he's a heck of a freshman," Keady said. "He might have been
rookie of the year in the league if he would have stayed healthy."
With Bauer out, Purdue closed the game on a 33-23
run to hand Minnesota its 18th loss in its last 19 trips to Mackey Arena.
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