Boilers ‘keep up pressure,’ win exhibition 78-44
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/04/2009
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It wasn’t perfect, but Matt Painter seemed satisfied with his team’s exhibition win against California of Pennsylvania on Tuesday night.
The Boilers scored 35 points off 32 turnovers to record a 78-44 win over the Vulcans. Purdue was led by senior guard Keaton Grant’s 14 points and five steals, followed by junior center JaJuan Johnson’s 12 points, three blocks and four rebounds.
Junior guard E’Twaun Moore, who added 11 points, said the Boilers’ point of emphasis for the game was to force turnovers and keep up defensive pressure, which he felt they succeeded at for most of the game.
“That was our emphasis to get into the passing lanes and keep up ball pressure. We’re going to do that the rest the year,” he said.
Grant hit two-of-three long-range attempts, leading the Boilers to better than 38 percent from behind the arc. As a team, Purdue hit 40.9 percent from the field and held California to less than 29 percent.
No Boiler played more than 22 minutes, and everyone in uniform saw the court for at least two minutes. Coach Matt Painter was impressed by Grant’s play, after the guard was never able to fully recover from offseason knee surgery last season.
“I thought he did a great job,” Painter said. “He was very efficient. Less is more sometimes with him. He takes what’s given to him. He’s worked real hard at improving his game over the offseason.
“More than anything you can just tell that he’s healthy.”
It wasn’t all positives for Purdue, however, as the Boilers were outrebounded 43-41 and turned the ball over 15 times. Purdue’s starters had just four turnovers, with freshmen D.J. Byrd, Kelsey Barlow and Patrick Bade combining for nine.
“At the beginning it’s always rough getting into the flow, so you have to get those jitters out. I thought we did a good job getting ready to play,” Moore said.
Purdue plays its final exhibition game of the season Monday against Kentucky Wesleyan before opening the season Nov. 13 against Cal State-Northridge.