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Nov. 29, 2000
Listen To Coach Pete Gillen’s comments after the game
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The ACC-Big Ten Challenge proved littlechallenge at all for No. 21 Virginia on Wednesday night as the ball-hawkingCavaliers forced 23 turnovers and ran away from Purdue for a 98-79 victory.
Virginia (4-0) got 24 points each from Chris Williams and Donald Hand as itkept its best start since the 1992-93 season going. Those Cavaliers won theirfirst 11 games before splitting their final 20.
Purdue (1-2), coming off a 72-69 victory over then-No. 1 Arizona, lookedlike it was ill-prepared for Virginia’s trapping zone press, repeatedlythrowing the ball away before getting past halfcourt.
The Cavaliers turned 15 first-half turnovers into 17 points en route to a45-27 lead, then coaxed four more miscues early in the second half.
Virginia played at top speed throughout and either drove to the hoop orpounded the ball inside. The Cavaliers got 22 of their first 32 points inclose, and had 13 second-chance points to Purdue’s 1 in the half.
In one 9 1/2-minute stretch very early in the game, Virginia forced 12turnovers and outscored the Boilermakers 28-7. That gave them a 30-12 lead 8:12before halftime, and the Boilermakers never got closer than 13.
Joe Marshall led Purdue with 19 points and Rodney Smith had 14.
Virginia finished with a 27-6 advantage in points off turnovers and a 19-10edge in second-chance points.
The game marked the first time the schools have ever met in men’sbasketball, and Purdue dropped to 9-18 against ACC schools.