Dec. 9, 2008
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) -- Robbie Hummel scored 15 points and No. 14 Purdue defeated Ball State 68-39 on Tuesday night.
Hummel, the preseason Big Ten player of the year, sat out Saturday's win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff due to back spasms. He came back with a strong effort that included nine rebounds and three assists.
JaJuan Johnson scored 12 points and E'Twaun Moore and Nemanja Calasan added 10 for the Boilermakers (7-2).
Anthony Newell led Ball State (4-4) with 11 points and eight rebounds.
Purdue held the Cardinals to 26 percent shooting and forced 21 turnovers after holding Pine Bluff to 23 percent shooting in a 90-42 win.
The Boilermakers led 12-9 before 5-foot-9 point guard Lewis Jackson was called for goaltending with just over 11 minutes left in the first half. The Boilermakers responded with a 13-0 run and held the Cardinals scoreless for nearly 6 1/2 minutes. Minus the goaltending call, Ball State didn't make a shot from the field for a nearly 11-minute span.
Newell's 3-pointer with 3:23 left in the half ended the drought and cut Purdue's lead to 26-17. Ball State didn't score for the rest of the half, and Purdue led 30-17 at the break.
Early in the second half, Ball State's Malik Perry hit Purdue's Chris Kramer hard on a fast-break layup attempt and was called for an intentional foul. Kramer made both free throws, then Calasan scored on the next possession to give Purdue a 39-19 lead.
The highlight of the game came on a Purdue fast break. Hummel drove down the lane and found an open Johnson, who stuffed the ball with two hands to give the Boilermakers a 51-25 lead with nine minutes left.