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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Jaraan Cornell rediscovered his outside
touch just in time for Purdue.
Cornell broke out of a season-long slump by hitting three
3-pointers in the final nine minutes Thursday to lead Purdue into
the second round of the NCAA tournament for the seventh straight
year with a 62-61 victory over Dayton in the West Regional.
|  | | Purdue's Mike Robinson leaps over two Dayton players for a first-half rebound. |
"With about eight minutes left I asked Jaraan, 'Could you
please make a shot tonight,"' Purdue coach Gene Keady said. "He
laughed and maybe he was able to relax a little after that."
Cornell didn't just hit one. He hit three to help the
sixth-seeded Boilermakers (22-9) advance to play third-seeded
Oklahoma. The Sooners beat Winthrop 74-50 in the first game of the
day.
"There was no way I was going out to Dayton," Cornell said.
Cornell, who came into the game shooting 38 percent, hit a
3-pointer with 2:05 remaining to snap a 9-0 run by No. 11 seed
Dayton (22-9) and tie it at 58. Brian Cardinal, who lead all scorers with 18 points, gave Purdue
a 61-58 lead with 1:20 remaining with another 3-pointer. Dayton drew within one on Yuanta Holland's easy basket
underneath and had two chances to win after Greg McQuay hit one of
two free throws.
Brooks Hall missed a shot in the lane, got his own rebound and
was fouled for the Flyers. Hall made the first free throw but
missed the second with 6.7 seconds left.
"I realized with about 12 minutes to go in the second half it
was going to be close to the wire," Hall said. "I knew a couple
of plays down the stretch would decide the game."
Cardinal was fouled in the scramble for the rebound with four
seconds left but missed the front end of the 1-and-1. After a timeout by Dayton, Matt Cooper inbounded the ball to
David Morris at halfcourt. Morris was double-teamed and heaved up a
40-footer that hit the side of the backboard.
"We wanted to get the ball to David," Dayton coach Oliver
Purnell said. "I think he could have taken one or two more
dribbles. We got the ball where we wanted. We just didn't get a
good look."
Cornell finished with 13 points and Carson Cunningham added 10
for the Boilermakers, who had lost their last two games. Long-range shooting, which had haunted Purdue recently, was the key to the win, as the Boilermakers hit 10 of 23 from 3-point range
and held Dayton to 2-of-17 3-point shooting.
"We knew coming in they were a great 3-point shooting team,"
Cardinal said. "We held their key 3-point shooters to a minimum.
We didn't execute very well on offense but our defense was so good
we were able to stay in the game."
Cornell and Cunningham, Purdue's starting backcourt, were a
combined 1-for-12 in the Big Ten tournament last week when Purdue
was knocked out in the first round by Wisconsin.
Cunningham hit three 3-pointers in the first half to help the
Boilermakers get started and Cornell finished the Flyers off. Cornell was in a 4-for-25 slump from the field -- including
1-of-11 on 3-pointers -- before hitting a 3 with 8:46 to play to
give Purdue a 49-43 lead.
"That first one broke the ice," Cornell said. "I was sick of
missing. Maybe I should have said that to myself about 10 games
ago."
On the next possession, Cornell drove to the basket, drew a foul
and hit both free throws. He then hit a three in transition from the
left wing to put Purdue up seven.
Tony Stanley then awoke from his slumber for Dayton. After
missing his first eight 3-pointers of the game, Stanley hit one
from the wing and then added a jumper in the lane as Dayton took
the lead with its 9-0 run. Stanley and Mark Ashman each had 16 points for the Flyers.
Holland added 14.
Dayton struggled offensively most of the first half, missing all
eight 3-point attempts and having a point taken off the scoreboard
at one point.
Stanley hit a long jumper on a fast break with 7:25 left that
was originally scored a 3-pointer. More than four minutes later,
the referees conferred with the official scorer and ruled it a two.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Dayton Clubhouse
Purdue Clubhouse
Chat: NCAA Tourney
Sooners enjoy a 3-for-all against ice-cold Winthrop
Deja vu: Gonzaga upends No. 7 seed Louisville
Second seed St. John's avoids Lumberjacks' ax
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Gene Keady talks about Purdue's defensive game.
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