Final Stats

By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Kenny Lowe led five players in double figures with 12 points as Purdue beat Miami of Ohio 73-46 Friday night in the season opener for both teams.

The Boilermakers, trying to shake off a 13-18 season in which they missed postseason play for the first time since 1989, were erratic offensively until going on a 28-10 run.

Juby Johnson scored 17 for the RedHawks, who missed 17 straight shots and shot only 34 percent from the field.

Purdue started its run early in the second half. Brett Buscher fell out of bounds as he caught an outlet pass from Willie Deane. He tossed up a twisting, one-handed shot that hung on the rim before softly falling in. Buscher made the free throw for a 35-18 lead.

Deane, last year's Big Ten scoring leader, hit a 3-pointer 3 minutes into the second half for a 39-21 lead.

Buscher, Deane and Chris Booker each scored 11. David Teague added 10.

The RedHawks, playing at Mackey Arena for the first time since a 1984 victory, cut their deficit to 41-31 after 3-point play by Johnson, but that was as close as they would get.

Teague hit a baseline 3-pointer, and Booker made consecutive baskets in the paint to make it 48-31, start the run and put the game away.

Brandon McKnight and Lowe had steals on two straight Miami possessions and turned them into uncontested layups during the streak. After shooting 44 percent in the first half, the Boilermakers used the run to finish at 51 percent. They made 15 of 19 free throws.

The RedHawks missed their final 13 shots of the first half, and Purdue closed on a 15-4 run to lead 30-18. Miami shot 27 percent in the half.

The Boilermakers learned before the game they will be without senior guard Darmetreis Kilgore for at least three weeks. He broke a bone in his right hand at practice on Thursday.