Purdue's Gicarri Harris Gives Detailed Account of Thunderous Jam vs. Iowa
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It might be hard to believe that a dunk 5:30 into a college basketball game can swing momentum, but that seemed to be how Saturday's game between No. 13 Purdue and Iowa unfolded. A forceful slam, complete with an and-one opportunity for Gicarri Harris, might have been one of the biggest moments in the game.
With the score knotted at 7-7, Oscar Cluff blocked a shot attempted by Tavion Banks. Purdue's Braden Smith collected the rebound and pushed the ball into transition. He found Harris streaking to the basket, and the end result was one of the best dunks of the Boilermakers' season.
Harris hammered the ball through the basket while drawing a foul on Cooper Koch. The sophomore guard screamed in excitement over the big play, knocked down his free throw, and gave Purdue a 10-7 lead early in the first half.
"I was on the right side, so I knew I was going to get up there," Harris told Boiler Upload, smiling through his answer. "Braden threw me a good pass, and I saw the defender there, so I was like, 'I can't lay it up.' So, I just went up as hard as I could and punched it.
"That was crazy. I kind of blacked out after that. I was excited. I was surprised I hit the free throw after, because I was going crazy. But, that was a good pass, a good block by Oscar. Coaches tell us to run in transition, and I got my dunk there."
That dunk sparked a 12-0 run, putting the Boilermakers ahead 19-7. They never looked back from that moment, cruising to an impressive 78-57 win over Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
It was also part of a monster first half for Harris, who relieved CJ Cox early in the game due to foul trouble. He made four of his first five shots from the floor and scored 12 points to give the Boilermakers a major spark off the bench.
Harris and Cox both ended the game with 14 points, leading the team. Harris was also responsible for five rebounds and three steals, one of his best performances of the season.
There was a lot to like about how Harris played on Saturday night in Iowa City, but that dunk over Koch is the moment everyone will remember.
Harris continues to embrace his role off the bench
Before the season started, Harris had ambitions of being in Purdue's starting rotation. It didn't unfold the way he would have liked, but he still plays a key role off the bench for the Boilermakers, and one that he embraces.
He says the biggest key is staying ready, regardless of when his number is called.
"I feel like whenever I get into the game, whether it's early, whether it's at eight minutes, I feel like I'm ready to go," Harris said. "I just have to be ready when my number is called. I was tonight."
This season, Harris is averaging 5.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game off the bench. He also provides a strong perimeter presence on the defensive end.
Statistics can be misleading, though. The punch that Harris provides Purdue off the bench is much more beneficial than what the numbers indicate.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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