Cunningham concludes career
By Doug Healey
Staff
Writer
Senior Carson Cunningham was determined not to
end his career as a Boilermaker with a loss, but sometimes things don't
go as planned.
Cunningham's final game as a Boiler ended with
an 85-77 double overtime loss to Alabama Friday night.
Cunningham kept the Boilers in the game during
the first overtime, scoring the team's first four points. He also made
two free throws to tie the game at 73 with 14.6 seconds left in the
first overtime.
The Boilers' lone senior finished his final collegiate
game with 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting in 38 minutes of action.
He said the Boilers just couldn't pull out the
victory.
"It would have been nice to close out a game like
that," said Cunningham. "It comes down to figuring out a way to get
it done."
Cunningham, who averaged 9.8 points, 26.4 minutes
and a team-high 4.4 assists per game in his final season, said he had
some good looks at the basket in the second overtime but couldn't get
them to go down. He was 0 for 6 from behind the arc.
"I couldn’t buy a 3 and we had some shots
go in and out," said Cunningham. "You have to give Alabama credit. They
had a good game plan and they stuck to it."
Cunningham, who started all 32 games this season,
said he will miss playing basketball for the Boilers.
"I have been here a long time and it's been great,"
the Ogden Dunes, Ind., native said. "I have nothing but really great
memories."
He said he would like to thank the teammates he
had throughout his four years here.
"These guys have been great to play with all year,"
he said. "I will definitely remember my teammates."
Cunningham, who dished out a career-high 141 assists
this season, said a couple of memories stand out as he thinks about
his basketball career at Purdue.
"Going to the Great Eight and the Sweet Sixteen
(in the NCAA tournament) was unreal," he said.
Purdue's victory over eventual national champion
Michigan State and two victories over Illinois are some other games
Cunningham will always remember participating in.
Many people saw Cunningham play throughout his
career, including the 8,484 fans in attendance Friday night.
"The fans are great," he said. "We wish we could
have delivered a victory for them."
And if the fans didn't motivate him, Cunningham
was confident in the band's ability to put him in the right mood each
home game.
"I would especially like to thank the band," he
said. "I think we have the best band in the country."
Cunningham said he especially enjoyed when the
band played "Rocketman" and the "Sanford and Son" theme song.
Cunningham said he expects the team to have some
success in the near future.
"If they get a few things to go their way I think
they can compete for a Big Ten title," he said.
Sophomore guard Willie Deane said Cunningham has
been a good teacher for him.
"I've learned a lot from him and I'm sorry he has
to go out like this," said Deane. "He taught me the little tricks you
can't learn except through experience. I have taken it and capitalized
on it."
Coach Gene Keady said Cunningham recovered well
from the double knee surgery he had last summer and made great strides
as a Boilermaker.
"He's pretty daggum courageous," said Keady.
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