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West notebook Kelley, Cornell set for grudge match
Posted: Friday March 24, 2000 08:12 PM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- One of the grudge matches within the game when Wisconsin and Purdue meet in the West Regional final will involve Badgers guard Mike Kelley and Purdue's Jaraan Cornell. Cornell is a scorer and Kelley a scorer's nightmare, the Big Ten's best defensive player this season. When the two teams met last year at Wisconsin, Kelley said he frustrated Cornell to the point that the Purdue guard threatened to "break my jaw." Not so said Cornell, who nevertheless admits Kelley is a pesky defender capable of getting into an opponent's head. "I didn't threaten to break his jaw," Cornell said. "But I've got to make sure I don't let my emotions get involved." Kelley admits he got away with some fouls when he guarded Cornell in the game last year on Wisconsin's home floor. "I was hacking him bad," Kelley said. "I was all over his arms. I got a couple of steals just hitting his arms and they didn't call it." Kelley said he worries that Cornell will eventually have a big game against him.
"I thought I could get out of here [Albuquerque] without having to face him again, but it didn't happen," Kelley said. "I'm going to have to be ready to play." Rooting out riotsPurdue coach Gene Keady says college students and fans in Indiana and Wisconsin need to tone down their celebrations.Purdue and Wisconsin meet in the West Regional final Saturday, with the winner advancing to the Final Four. Police in West Lafayette, Ind., fired tear gas early Friday into a crowd of students who set fires and damaged cars after Purdue's victory over Gonzaga. Reports from Wisconsin indicated there was considerable celebrating going on in that state as well after the Badgers beat LSU. "It's great to be loyal, but no matter who wins, Purdue or Wisconsin, the students on both campuses need to back off and relax," Keady said Friday. "We appreciate your loyalty, but if somebody should get hurt, like firemen ... we don't need that." "We don't want the students to hurt themselves mainly. This team represents them and we appreciate your enthusiasm. Have fun, make a lot of noise but don't start burning cars and throwing stuff. That's ridiculous." The party can waitAfter Wisconsin upset No. 1 seed Arizona in the second round, coach Dick Bennett gave the Badgers the option to celebrate or focus on going deeper into the NCAA tournament."I could have told them you haven't done anything yet, but what a lie that would be," Bennett said. "And so I just said, if you think you can continue to keep playing and continue to compete, then get your rest on Sunday when all your buddies in Madison want you to go out. Say we've got more work to do and I need my rest. But if you're done, then you have my permission." The Badgers aren't done yet and with a win Saturday over Big Ten rival Purdue can polish off what once seemed destined to be a break-even season into a Final Four finish.
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