UPDATE (10:54 pm): (Dec. 30) Men's Basketball: Illinois downs Boilers in OT
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 12/12/2008
Amanda Spearing | Interim Photo Editor
Sophomore forward JaJuan Johnson tries for two of his 16 points against Illinois.
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The No. 9 Purdue men's basketball team needed to hit its free throws to beat Illinois in its Big Ten season opener Tuesday.
But the Boilers couldn't capitalize on a 13-free throw advantage and lost to Illinois 71-67 in overtime in front of a nearly sold out crowd at Mackey Arena. Purdue hit just 15 of its 27 attempts, including sophomore forward JaJuan Johnson's 8-for-10 performance.
Perhaps the biggest charity shots of the night came at the end of regulation, when Johnson was fouled with 1.9 seconds left and the Boilers down by one. Johnson hit his first attempt to send the game to overtime, but couldn't connect on his second attempt that would have won the game.
"I felt it was going to be called (a foul)," Johnson said, "because it was real blatant. I mean the ref was right there in front of me when he hit me."
The Boilers shot a season-low 38 percent from the field, including a 7-for-15 performance from sophomore guard E'Twaun Moore, who scored a team-high 17 points. Johnson finished with 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds on the night
Junior guard Keaton Grant, who was an uncharacteristic 2-of-5 from the foul line, said he can't place why the Boilers are struggling to hit shots right now. He did say he believes its just a slump that the team will work itself out of, however.
It's not something (teams are doing defensively," Grant said. "I'd say it's a slump. We know we can shoot."
Purdue next plays Jan. 6 at Penn State. The Boilers will use the off time to heal up, as junior guard Chris Kramer, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season, has been plagued by a sprained foot and sophomore forward Robbie Hummel, the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, has been feeling the effects of a nagging lower-back injury.