Feb. 24, 2000
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The first time this year was on Feb. 22 when the men's basketball team knocked off No. 11 Indiana University 83-77. Today was another victory for an under-ranked Boilermaker squad on the court. It was just a different game, as the No. 30 Hoosiers fell 6-1 to the Old Gold and Black.
Purdue was able to snap Indiana' s five game winning streak in a competitive and aggressive manner. First capturing the doubles point by sweeping all three positions, the now 4-3 Boilers seemed as if they would struggle in singles play.
"Jason Marshall and Carl McCafferty both looked as if there would be little hope for a win," Purdue head coach Tim Madden said. "Both guys lost their first set and then found a way to take the momentum of the game. They both finished with high intensity, which is hard to do against a tough Indiana."
Playing at the No. 1 spot, Marshall bowed out of the first set against Milan Rakvica of the Hoosiers, 5-7. When all looked dim, Marshall fought hard to hold Rakvica to 6-4 in the second set. In the third, Marshall wasted no time in finishing off his competitor 6-0. McCafferty found victory at the No. 5 position with a 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 decision over Paul Jacobson. Madden felt maturity was a factor in both those scenarios.
"We are clearly not the same team we were a few weeks ago," Madden said. "Each week we have come out and challenged ourselves more and played more competitively. This was the best performance I have seen from us this year. We fought very hard."
Purdue has little time to bask in the glow of victory. They must now prepare to meet Notre Dame on Feb. 26, a team the Boilers have never defeated. Madden feels that Purdue has more than a good chance to turn the situation around.
"We came within two points of beating Notre Dame last year," Madden said. "I attribute today's high level of performance to commitment to a process. That is didn't end with IU and it won't end with Notre Dame. We are going to continue trying to improve and getting stronger as the season goes on."
Indiana 1, Purdue 6
Singles
No. 1 Jason Marshall (IU) def. Milan Rakvica (IU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-0
No. 2 Derek Miller (PU) def. Ian Arons (IU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
No. 3 Gabe Montilla (IU) def. Laith Al-Agba (PU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 Andrew Wakefield (PU) def. George McGill (IU) 6-1, 6-4
No. 5 Carl McCafferty (PU) def. Paul Jacobson (IU) 2-6, 7-6, 6-4
No. 6 Scott Mayer (PU) def. Rahman Smiley (IU) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 Marshall/Wakefield (PU) def. Arons Montilla (IU) 8-4
No. 2 Al-Agba/Mayer (PU) def. Rakvica/Smiley (IU) 8-5
No. 3 McCafferty/Miller (PU) def. McGill/Jacobson (IU) 8-6