The bitter end

The battle for the Bucket turned into a 15-round slugfest.\nHeavily favored Purdue got all it wanted from the Hoosiers, yet in the end, the Boilermakers escaped Memorial Stadium with a 24-16 win Saturday.\nPurdue coach Joe Tiller said he was impressed with IU's play.\n"We feel fortunate to come out of here with a win," Tiller said. "We felt like Indiana played really inspired football, and our hats go off to them. I actually thought they played better than we did today at times. We had moments where we played extremely well, but also had moments where we were plain and flat getting outplayed by the Hoosiers."\nThose moments weren't enough as IU was plagued by an offense that couldn't score in the red zone. The Hoosiers had three possessions start inside Purdue's 50 with two starting on the Boilers 16-yard line.\nThe three drives netted three points.\nIU coach Gerry DiNardo said not putting the ball in the end zone cost his team.\n"The inability of our offense in the first half to take advantage of good fortune through the kick game and defense was really a major problem," DiNardo said. "We had good field position through defense or turnovers, and we didn't capitalize offensively. We should have scored more points in the first half."\nIU scored its only three points of the first half on its opening possession with junior Bryan Robertson's 39-yard field goal. That answered Purdue's opening scoring drive that ended with sophomore Jerod Void's 3-yard plunge.\nIt looked as if IU would draw closer after freshman Cedric Henry's fumble return midway through the first quarter put IU in business at the Boiler 16. Three short running plays and a botched field goal attempt later, nothing was gained.\nPurdue led 14-3 at the half on the strength of a 41-yard Kyle Orton bomb to senior John Standeford, who had badly beaten senior cornerback Duane Stone.\nThe Orton-Standeford combination struck again in the third quarter when Standeford caught the ball at the IU 15 and wheeled to the middle, eluding four Hoosier defenders on his way to the 33-yard score.\nFrom there, IU methodically climbed its way back in.\nFreshman running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis did most of the work. For the second straight week, Green-Ellis eclipsed the 150-yard barrier. The New Orleans native carried 35 times for 155 yards. Last week against Penn State, the freshman gained 203 yards.\nFacing third-and-2 from the Purdue 39, Green-Ellis darted up the middle and broke free for the score to draw IU closer, 21-10. \nIt looked as if IU recovered the ensuing kickoff after a Purdue player muffed the catch. But an official's inadvertent whistle caused the play to be redone.\nDiNardo said that was the rule.\n"The issue whether we recovered the ball or not did not matter," DiNardo said. "Once the official stopped play prematurely, you have to replay the down. That obviously hurt."\nIU's defense stopped Purdue and crept closer with a Robertson 40-yard field goal. With momentum clearly on IU's side and the crowd of 41,404 up in arms, Henry intercepted Orton and set up IU for its second start at Purdue's 16. \nThe drive stalled at the Purdue five following two incomplete passes by junior Matt LoVecchio in one of which he missed a wide open freshman Alex Stscherban for a touchdown. \nRobertson capped the drive with a 22-yard field goal, but that would be all IU could muster.\nThe Hoosier passing game struggled all year and Saturday was no different. LoVecchio passed for only 115 yards and had just three touchdown passes on the season.\nJunior wide receiver Courtney Roby was clearly disgusted at the passing game.\n"I honestly don't know what to say," Roby said. "I don't even want to comment on the passing game. My mind's right now on the seniors, and we just lost the Bucket. Obviously, I'm frustrated."\nSeven seniors played their last game for IU. Yet a freshman already felt their pain.\n"It's heartbreaking whenever you lose a game, ... especially a rivalry game like this," Green-Ellis said. "For their team to come into our home stadium and take the Bucket back to their house is really heartbreaking."\n-- Contact staff writer John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.