MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Purdue had just enough experience when and where it counted Thursday against Rhode Island.
Junior center Brad Miller scored a career high 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Purdue scored the first six points in overtime to beat Rhode Island 83-76 in the first round of the NCAA tournament’s Southeast Regional.
Freshman Brian Cardinal, whose 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, hit the first basket in the extra period, and Purdue (18-11) never trailed again.
The Rams (20-9), who thought their four seniors would outplay a Purdue team with seven freshmen, had their chances to win in regulation. But Tyson Wheeler’s leaner bounced off, and Michael Andersen missed the follow before the buzzer.
Rhode Island never got started in the extra period, missing its first five shots, and didn’t score until Mobley hit with 1:29 left.
The victory puts eighth-seeded Purdue into Saturday’s second round against No. 1 seed Kansas.
Cardinal finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Chad Austin and Mike Robinson had 15 each.
Purdue didn’t panic despite trailing by as much as 14 in the first half and 45-36 at intermission.
Miller brought the Boilermakers back by scoring all seven of their points to start the second half in a 7-2 run. Chad Austin’s three tied the game at 53-53. When Cardinal scored with 10:58 left, it gave Purdue its first lead since 7-6 and started an 8-0 run.
A reverse dunk by Miller gave the Boilermakers their biggest lead of the game at 61-55, but they couldn’t hold it as Rhode Island responded with its own 8-0 spurt.
The teams went back and forth down the stretch with four more ties and three lead changes.
Purdue managed to shut down Wheeler, Rhode Island’s leading scorer, who came in averaging 16.6 points a game. He had nine in the first half and didn’t score again until a couple free throws in overtime when it was too late. He finished with 11.
Rhode Island, which beat Purdue in the 1993 tournament, couldn’t put Purdue away despite controlling the ball for most of the final two minutes.
Michael Andersen led Rhode Island with 18 points.

GAME SUMMARY
Purdue 36 34 13 — 83
Rhode Island 45 25 6 — 76

Purdue — Cornell 0-4 0-0 0, Cardinal 5-8 5-6 16, Miller 8-11 15-21 31, Eldridge 0-4 0-0 0, Austin 5-13 2-3 15, Robinson 7-14 0-1 15, McQuay 2-8 2-2 6, Gilvydis 0-0 0-0 0, Barnes 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-62 24-33 83.
Rhode Island — Bakari 1-3 0-0 3, Reynolds-Dean 4-10 2-2 10, Andersen 7-9 4-6 18, Wheeler 3-11 2-2 11, Mobley 3-8 0-0 7, Thomas 4-6 0-0 9, Murphy 4-15 0-0 8, Arigbabu 2-2 1-2 5, King 2-6 0-0 5. Totals 30-70 9-12 76.
3-point goals — Rhode Island 7-21 (Wheeler 3-7, Bakari 1-1, Thomas 1-2, Mobley 1-3, King 1-4, Murphy 0-4), 5-16 (Austin 3-7, Cardinal 1-1, Robinson 1-3, Eldridge 0-2, Cornell 0-3). Fouled out — Reynolds-Dean, Mobley, Arigbabu. Rebounds — Rhode Island 35 (Andersen 8), Purdue 37 (Cardinal 10). Assists — Rhode Island 19 (Wheeler 10), Purdue 17 (Cornell 6). Total fouls — Rhode Island 23, Purdue 16.