Big Ten report | NCAA Tournament report

SportsLine.com report
August 23, 2000

A Glance at 2001

Things look bleak, with four starters departing, but Gene Keady never gets caught without enough talent to win. The worst he's finished in conference through 20 seasons is 7-9, and that was last year, when Purdue wound up in the Sweet Sixteen.

Maynard Lewis and Rodney Smith will become major contributors and Carson Cunningham's continued improvement at the point will be enough to land another NCAA berth.

The Coach

Keady has never lost his football mentality from junior-college days. Tell him he can't do something and he'll run through a wall to prove that he can.

Purdue looked like it might be slipping after winning three straight Big Ten titles from 1994-96, so what does he do? Prods an undertalented, team that lacked quicks to the brink of a conference championship. His players love him and do the little things that decide games because Keady's attention to detail never waivers.

Who'll Be Back

Purdue's only returning players with starting experience will be Cunningham and Smith. That might allow Cunningham to take over the scoring role he seems suited for better than the point guard position he plays, but Keady will probably tear out what's left of his hair while that happens.

Smith could become a star if he continues to develop like he has this season. Lewis shows the potential to become a serviceable second guard, and John Allison is a banger in the Steve Scheffler mold.

Sophomore forward Adam Wetzel, who is also a big body, has been ruled academically ineligible during the fall semester. Wetzel, who played in 25 games last season, will be allowed to practice with the team and could become eligible at the beginning of the spring semester (mid-January).

"He is still in school and hopes to have his eligibility restored by second semester," Keady said.

Who's Gone

No program can lose an emotional leader like Brian Cardinal and continue without missing a beat. He plays as hard as anyone in the Big Ten and that enthusiasm and hustle is infectious. Jaraan Cornell is a calming influence who also will be missed, and Mike Robinson's travails and eventual triumphs made him a guy the younger players listened to when they doubted whether the hard work was worth it.

Key Newcomers

The Boilermakers signed power forward Brett Buscher, point guard Austin Parkinson and seven-footer Kevin Garrity in November. Keady hopes to add a wing player from the junior-college ranks during the April signing period.