Rivalry newbies come up big

Surprisingly,theyfoundthemselvestogetheraloneinthelockerroombeforePurdue'sgameagainstIndianaSaturday.

Allthenewcomerstotherivalry,thefirst-yearBoilermakerswho'dyettoexperiencehowbrutal,howchippy,howemotionalitcouldget.

Andtheycametoanagreement:TheyweregoingtodowhateverittooktohelpPurduesnapitsfour-gamelosingstreaktothehatedHoosiers.

"Itwasagoodmoment,"freshmanBrysonScottsaidofthegatheringinthelockerroom."Allofusfirst-yearguys,wereallywantedtohelp.Wejustputourindividualsasideandcametogetherasaunit.

"Wereallywantedtohelpthemfromlastyearaftertheykindofgaveittothem.Wewantedtotrytogiveittothem.Wereallywantedtotrytocomeoutthereandhaveagoodgame."

Didtheyeverdeliver,fuelingan82-64rout.

Fifth-yearseniortransferSterlingCarter"showedout"withaseason-high19points,includingscoringtheteam'sfirst10inthesecondhalf.

Scotthadfourassists,threeconsecutiveinaspurtinthefirsthalf,andneverstoppedfighting,highlightedbyaphysicaltie-upinthesecondhalf.

Fifth-yearseniorErrickPeckhelpedclearspacetofacilitatefreshmanBasilSmotherman'skeymomentumplayattheendofthefirsthalfonthefree-throw-missputback.

FreshmanKendallStephens,knownforhispinpointperimetershooting,blockedateam-highthreeshotsandhadathree-pointplayafteranoffensivereboundtip-in.

"Ourfirst-yearguysdidaprettygoodjob,"CoachMattPaintersaid."Itwasgoodforourguys."

Carterwastheloneplayerofthegroupwhodidn'tknowmuchabouttherivalrybeforejoiningtheteamthisseason.EvenPeck,theothertransfer,isanIndianapolisnativewhoserootswiththerivalryrundeep-asin,hisentirefamilyareHoosierfans.

Butitdidn'ttakelongforCartertosummontheemotionneededinsuchabiggame.

Lessthanoneminuteintothegame,Carterracedtotipapassandthendovetotrytosaveit,ultimatelyforcinganIndianaturnover.Aboutoneminutelater,hedrilledathree-pointerfromthewing.Anotherminutelaterhesnatchedastealonadeflection.

Helitthefusetostartthesecondhalf,too,stickingathree-pointerfromthecornerafteraquickpassonaninboundplay.Thenheslippedthroughthelaneonadriveandgotaleftylay-in.Thenanotherthree-pointerfromthewing-offapassfromPeckagainstthezone-togivehim14points,surpassinghispreviousseasonhighof13.

Carterhadonlymade3-of-22three-pointersinhispreviouseightgames.AgainsttheHoosiers,hemadefiveofsix.

"Iwasrealcomfortable.Iwasinrhythm,justplayinghard,andmyshotstartedtofall,sowhynotkeepshooting?"Cartersaid."I'mnotfromIndiana,buttheseguysallowedmetoseehowpassionatethisrivalrywas,andI'mjustgladtobeheretohelpthemgetthevictory."

IndiananativeScottknewplentyabouttherivalry,andheadmittedtosomenervesbeforethegametoplayinit.Butheshookthemprettyquicklyandgotfocused.

Itpaidoffduringaspurtthatstartedwithfiveminutesleftinthefirsthalf,withPurduetrailing.

Aftertakingabadjumpshot-somethinghe'sbeentryingtodolessofastheseasonhasprogressed-Scottsnappedbackinto"sacrifice"modeanddishedtoTeroneJohnsonforathreeoffadrive.Lessthanoneminutelater,Scottdrovehardmiddleagainbutpulledupnearthefreethrowline,turnedandscoopedanotherpasstoJohnson,whohadthespacetohitanotherthree-pointerwhileScottscreenedoutadefender.

AfterScottgrabbedareboundoffanIndianamiss,hepushedandgottheballtoSmothermanonano-lookpassunderthebasketfora31-29lead.

"Iwasrealhappy.Thatwassomethingthat'sneverhappenedbefore,"Scottofthethree-consecutive-assiststretch."Theyweren'tgettingbackondefense,somygoalwasjusttoattackandifIcouldgetalayup,getalayup,butIsawotherpeopleopen.IjustwantedtogettheminvolvedifIcouldandgetmyselfinvolvedifIcould,buttheyhappenedtomakemelookgoodwiththeshotstheymade."

PerhapsScott'sdefiningmoment,though,willbewhathappenedat13:27ofthesecondhalf.

AfterIndiana'sWillSheeheymissedashot,ScottwenttotrackdownthereboundandgottiedupwithRobinson.Thetwoyankedattheball,butitwasScottwhoultimatelyrippeditaway,drawingpraisefromthepackedhouseinMackey.Somejabberingensued,andScottwaspulledawaybyteammates.

Butthemessagewassent:Scottwasn'tgoingtogiveupthefight.Notagainstthatteam.

"Ijustdidn'twanthimtohavetheball.Byanymeans,Iwantedtogetthatball,"Scottsaid,smiling."Iwasextrapumpedoutthere.

"Thiswasrealbigforus.Wereallyenjoyedthisone.Itwasarealgoodone."

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