Transcription: Knight blows up early, Purdue mows down IU
By Ken Chitester, Daily Student Staff Writer
By the way, there was a basketball game at Assembly Hall on Saturday.
It was overshadowed by IU coach Bob Knight’s antics, but Purdue defeated the Hoosiers, 72-63. Knight got the most attention, but the Boilermakers got the victory.
Three technical fouls, Knight’s ejection, his toss of a chair and coins thrown from the fans didn’t keep Purdue from defeating the Hoosiers for the second time this year. The loss was IU’s third straight time that has happened since The Hall as opened in 1971.
The loss was IU’s fifth at home this season, the most losses ever at The Hall in one season. The Hoosiers (14-0) overall, 6-9 in the Big Ten) have four games remaining and are nearing the worst record in Knight’s 14-year IU career. The 1977 team was 16-11, and the 1979 team (22-12) had the most losses in Knight’s reign.
Purdue added to IU’s problems by staving of the Hoosier’s rally following Knight’s eviction. The Boilermakers (18-7, 9-6) used strong inside play to build a three-point halftime lead.
Purdue outrebounded IU, 41-29. Freshman forwarded Todd Mitchell, starting his first game of the season, hauled down a game-high 12 rebounds. Senior forwards Mark Atkinson and James Bullock added eight rebounds each.
IU assistant coach Jim Crews, who took over after Knight’s ejection, said the Boilermaker’s inside play hurt the Hoosiers. Looking Knightish in a red jacket with plaid pants and his tie hanging untied around his neck, Crews answered reporter’s questions.
“They did an excellent job of getting the ball inside and scoring,” said Crews answered reporters’ questions.
“They did an excellent job of getting the ball inside and scoring,” said Crews, a senior guard on IU’s 1976NCAA champion team. “We didn’t do a real good job blocking out and they got some good buckets that way.”
Purdue’s inside play was as effective defensively as it was offensively. IU senior center Uwe Blab, who was honored at half time as the basketball team’s top scholar, was limited to 10 points and five rebounds. The Boilermakers used a box-and-one defense to handle sophomore guard Steve Alford and to sag off on Blab, IU’s top offensive threats.
Purdue repeatedly collapsed on Blab, limiting his effectiveness. He was saddled with foul trouble in the second half, but played 15 minutes in the first half and dished out five assists.
“Well, I’m glad he’s gone is all I can say,” Purdue coach Gene Keady said. “Our kids did a great job on him. He’s a great basketball player. He did a good job here. He improved every year and the credit should go to him and his hard work and the staff here and all those things.”
The Boilermakers’ box-and-one defense also limited Alford on the perimeter. The 6-foot-8 Atkinson chased Alford, 6-foot-2, all over the court and held the Olympian to three-of-12 shooting from the field and eight points. Alford is now eight of 35 from the field in IU’s last three games.
“I thought first of all, talking about the thing that’s dearest to me, Atkinson did a great job on Alford,” Keady said.
Purdue junior guard Mack Gadis agreed. “Once you cut Alford off, I’d say the team is really dead from then on,” he said. “That’s basically their offense, Alford. You sag off on Blab and play tight on Alford, things like that, it’s really dead from there.”
Alford’s trouble was typical of the Hoosier’s problems. Junior guard Stew Robinson led IU with 14 points, but the team hit just 44.8 percent from the field. Getting Alford open and getting other players to contribute are Hoosier priorities, said sophomore guard Marty Simmons.
“They do play Steve tough because they know he’s our best shooter,” said Simmons, who played for the first time since Feb. 9. “So I think we’re gonna have to work harder to get him open and them other players are gonna have to look for their shorts a little more to try to take the pressure off.”
Keady realized that. By using the box-and-one to contain Blab and Alford, Purdue still had to prevent the other Hoosiers from contributing.
“We didn’t want that third and fourth guy having a great night on the weak side,” Keady said.
