...of the '96-'97 season, which was the Cardinal/Cornell/MRob/McQuay freshman year. Very young team that looked good early, but right before conference season got their doors blown off by Oklahoma and TCU and seemed to be doing nothing well.
After a 2-2 start in the Big 10, including a home loss to Iowa and a blowout loss at Michigan, they then blew out IU at home (70-53). From that game forward, they were 10-4 and finished second to a Final Four Minnesota team. They made the tourney as a 9 seed and beat Rhode Island before losing to #1 Kansas after having a 1-point lead with about 10 minutes to go.
The next year, they were one of the best Purdue teams ever until the Cornell injury.
After a 2-2 start in the Big 10, including a home loss to Iowa and a blowout loss at Michigan, they then blew out IU at home (70-53). From that game forward, they were 10-4 and finished second to a Final Four Minnesota team. They made the tourney as a 9 seed and beat Rhode Island before losing to #1 Kansas after having a 1-point lead with about 10 minutes to go.
The next year, they were one of the best Purdue teams ever until the Cornell injury.
