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Prelude to a Championship II

SportsLine.com staff
March 24, 2000

Elite Eight -- West Regional Final, Saturday

Also Saturday: Midwest Regional

No. 6 PURDUE vs. No. 8 WISCONSIN
Albuquerque, 4:40 p.m. ET
The Badgers and Boilermakers go at it for the fourth time this season, with Wisconsin holding a 2-1 advantage. The Badgers held Purdue to 29-percent shooting in one meeting and the Badgers scored a remarkable (for them) 78 points in another. Wisconsin has yet to meet a team in the NCAA Tournament that it couldn't force into a coma, but Gene Keady has been able to get his Purdue team to play whatever style is necessary.
Matchup Breakdown | Common Opponents
Boilermakers (24-9, 12-4)
Player Pages		 Badgers (21-13, 8-8)
Player Pages
While Fresno State, Arizona and Louisiana State had never seen Dick Bennett's clock-killing routine, the Boilers have had three cracks at it and it won't surprise them. Brian Cardinal makes sure nobody pushes the Boilers around, and when guard Carson Cunningham and Jaraan Cornell are on -- and they have been of late -- Purdue can run and score some points in a hurry, too. In this one, patience is paramount, as every missed shot trims 35 seconds off the clock. Wisconsin finished sixth in the Big Ten, but is winning games when it counts most. The Badgers are taking five more 3-pointers a game than they did in the regular season, and making two. Jon Bryant leads with 13 3-pointers. Purdue has gotten good outside shooting, too, but the Badgers pride themselves on closing down the perimeter. Only Arizona's Gilbert Arenas has broken 20 on them in the tourney, and he's a slasher who hit just one from 3-point range.