Missouri’s O’Liney Strong at Finish to Beat Purdue

Senior Paul O’Liney scored a career-high 24 points and Missouri held off Purdue’s one offensive push for a 69-66 victory Wednesday night in the Great Eight basketball tournament.

O’Liney, who had matched his career high with 23 points in the season-opener, had all 11 of his second-half points in the final 9:38. His sophomore backcourt mate, Jason Sutherland, finished with 14 points, five in the final 48 seconds.

The game was a matchup of conference champions from last season as Missouri (2-0) went unbeaten in the Big Eight and Purdue (3-1) won the Big Ten. Both were hit hard by losses, Missouri with three graduated starters and a season-ending injury to freshman of the year Kelly Thames; Purdue by the decision of national player of the year Glenn Robinson to opt for the NBA draft, where he was the No. 1 pick.

Purdue, which won the three-game Big Island Invitational, struggled offensively except for a second-half spurt that featured junior college transfer Roy Hairston.

Hairston had six points in a 12-4 run that brought the Boilermakers into a 55-55 tie.

Hairston finished with 17 points. Brandon Brantley had 12 and Porter Roberts 11.

Purdue, which trailed, 39-28, when Missouri scored the first basket of the second half, took its first lead since 2-0 at 59-58 on two free throws by Cuonzo Martin with 3:58 to play.

O’Liney and Roberts exchanged three-pointers and the Tigers got the lead for good on two free throws by O’Liney with 1:46 to play. After Martin missed a jumper, Missouri ran time off the clock and Julian Winfield was able to save the ball with one second left on the 35-second shot clock. Winfield inbounded the ball to Sutherland near the baseline and the 6-foot-1 guard got off a leaning one-hander that went through the net as the horn sounded.

Sutherland added two more free throws after a turnover and the Tigers led 67-62 with 45 seconds to play.

Sutherland and O’Liney each made one of two free throws following Purdue baskets and the Boilermakers had a chance to tie. They went inside and Brantley missed a dunk with 10 seconds left and then missed a three-pointer with four seconds left.