Michigan
Purdue
Wolverines Outlast Boilermakers in Double Overtime
1/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Michigan was led by LaVell Blanchard's (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) fifth double-double of the season, with team highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds, including the game-winning hoop with a tip-in of a Jamal Crawford (Renton, Wash./Rainer Beach HS) miss that put the Wolverines up 87-86 late in the second overtime. Crawford, who ended the game with 19 points and a game-high seven assists, added a free throw with 11.7 second remaining in the game to close out the scoring. Crawford then sealed the victory by blocking a jumper with 1.3 second left and then deflecting Purdue's final shot at the buzzer.
The Wolverines appeared to have the game won in the first overtime period as they pushed out to a 76-70 lead when Brandon Smith (Amarillo, Texas/Palo Duro HS) took a feed from Blanchard for an uncontested dunk with 39.9 seconds left. However, the Boilermakers (9-5, 0-1), who missed their first seven field goal opportunities, received a three-pointer from Jaraan Cornell. Crawford, who played a game-high 45 minutes, misfired on a pair of free throws with 19.4 seconds remaining in the period and then was called for a foul on Carson Cunningham's three-point attempt. Cunningham hit all three free throws to tie the game 76-76. Smith missed a long jumper from the left wing at the buzzer and the game moved to the second overtime.
The Boilers had the better of the play to open the second OT as Smith, who scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds, and Kevin Gaines (Las Vegas, Nev./Clark HS), who added eight points, six rebounds and four assists, both fouled out early in the period. Purdue capitalized and grabbed a two point lead, 85-83, on a Brian Cardinal three-pointer with under 2:00 remaining in the period.
But Crawford hit 1-of-2 free throws with 1:15 remaining and Blanchard rebounded the miss off the second attempt. Crawford missed the ensuing jumper, but Chris Young (Plymouth, Mich./Catholic Central HS), who contributed a career-best eight points while also pulling in six rebounds, collected the board and was fouled. Young connected on 1-of-2 free throws to tie the game, 85-85. Cardinal hit a free throw at the other end to put Purdue back up by one point, leading to Blanchard's tip-in and Crawford's free throw and defensive efforts to close the game.
Purdue opened the second half with a 20-8 run to turn a four-point Michigan halftime advantage into an eight-point defecit. But Crawford scored at 13:17 and then dished out assists on Michigan's next two hoops to kick-start a 17-6 Wolverine run to give Michigan a 61-58 lead with 6:06 remaining in the game. The scoring pace slowed from there as the teams only scored a combined 15 points the remainder of regulation. The Wolverines had opportunities to close the game out in regulation as a pair of Crawford free throws put Michigan up 67-64 with 1:58 remaining in the game, however those would be Michigan's final points in the second half.
Michigan ran out to an early lead, led by freshman Blanchard's 10 points in the early going. A pair of Blanchard three-pointers helped build Michigan's lead to a game-high nine points, 28-19, midway through the first half before Purdue rallied to cut the Wolverine lead to four points at the break, 36-32.
Michigan returns home on Sunday (Jan. 16) for its Big Ten home opener against Illinois in a 1 p.m. game at Crisler Arena.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
