Seniors have high hopes for 2001-02 season

By Paul Trembacki
Sports Editor

Coach Gene Keady always says a team is only as good as its seniors, and based on that premise he's optimistic about this season.

Rodney Smith, John Allison, Joe Marshall and Maynard Lewis will try to get Purdue back to the NCAA tournament and make fans forget last season's disappointing 17-15 finish.

"We have seniors that could make us have a really good season," Keady said Tuesday at Purdue's annual basketball media day. "If their leadership steps up and their chemistry is good, we've got a chance to have some fun, you know, have a season like we've had in the past here.

"We think that we have a senior class that's capable of competing at the level that Michigan State has set."

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, who is entering his seventh season as the Spartans' coach, has told Keady that he built the Spartans with physically and mentally tough players like the Purdue players who led the Boilers to three consecutive Big Ten titles from 1993-94 to 1995-96. Izzo's team has won at least a share of the last four Big Ten regular season championships, been to the last three Final Fours and won the 2000 NCAA championship.

"We set the standard for a while," Keady said. "Now they're setting it, so we'd like to catch up to where they are."

Before each practice, members of the Purdue men's basketball team talk about their ultimate goal — reaching the Final Four and contending for a national title.

"That's one of our top priorities," Smith said. "You have to set high goals to motivate you to work hard every day."

Smith said motivation and determination are the mental traits the Boilers need to work on if they're going to go further into the NCAA tournament than any Purdue team has under Keady, who's entering his 22nd year at Purdue.

"Talent-wise, I think this is the most talented group I've been around," Smith said. "I think we have what it takes to be a championship-caliber because we have great team chemistry and everybody gets along."

Allison, who, along with Smith, missed the majority of the end of last season with a broken foot, said he's excited about Purdue's five newcomers, especially junior college transfer Darmetreis Kilgore.

"He really has the ability to finish moves and he'll bring a lot of flash and a lot of what the crowd would like to see," Allison said.

"We've got a lot of talent on this team and hopefully people underrate us like they have in the past and we can jump out and surprise some people," he said.

Keady hopes players such as Allison and Smith, who were role players on the Boilers' 1999 Elite Eight squad, which came within one win of a Final Four berth.

Keady didn't say this team is his best, but he said this year's team is better than most he's had in some respects.

"I'd say it's the best bunch of young men we've had here as far as wanting to be coached, listening and hearing what you're saying, being responsible toward time management and taking care of class business," he said. "So it looks like it's going to be a fun year."

Seniors have high hopes for 2001-02 season

Boilermakers want new journey to begin this year

Boilermakers hope healthy year looms

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Sports editor:
Paul Trembacki

Assistant sports editor:
Doug Healey

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