2Purdue 68 - 39 Ball State
Final
  for this game

Hummel, defense help Purdue smother Ball State

Dec 10, 2008 - 4:47 AM MUNCIE, Indiana (Ticker) -- Purdue felt right at home in its first road game.

Robbie Hummel had 15 points and nine rebounds and JaJuan Johnson scored 12 as 17th-ranked Purdue used a strong defensive effort to cruise by Ball State, 68-39, on Tuesday.

E'Twaun Moore and Nemanja Calasan each added 10 points for the Boilermakers (7-2), who held the Cardinals to 26 percent (14-of-53) shooting.

It was the first time Purdue allowed less than 40 points this season, but the contest was the Boilermakers' second straight strong defensive effort. Purdue held Arkansas-Pine Bluff to 42 points and 23 percent shooting (11-of-47) on Saturday, snapping a two-game losing streak.

"(Defensive pressure) was definitely important for us," Hummel said. "That and rebounding - I think every game we need to improve on. I think we took a major step forward in doing that tonight."

The contest marked the first true road game for the Boilermakers, who still did not even have to leave their own state. Purdue does not play again on the road until it visits Penn State on January 6.

Purdue took control of the game midway through the first half with a 13-0 burst to take a 25-11 lead with 5:35 left before the break. Hummel had seven points during the run.

Ball State cut the deficit to single digits but Purdue scored the final two baskets of the half to take a 30-17 lead at the break. The Cardinals shot 26 percent (6-of-23) from the floor over the opening 20 minutes.

"This was not the performance we wanted tonight as we played tentative against a very aggressive Purdue team," Ball State coach Billy Taylor said. "I hope tonight will show us that we need intensity no matter who we play. We were on our heels tonight and that's what I didn't want our guys to do. We are a young team so there needs to be patience."

Purdue extended its cushion with a 13-3 run - going 5-for-5 from the field - to take a 45-22 bulge with 14:32 remaining.

The Cardinals never recovered as the Boilermakers maintained their defensive intensity until the end of the contest.

Anthony Newell scored 11 points to lead Ball State (4-4), which committed 21 turnovers and shot 8-of-17 from the foul line.






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