COL BKB: Purdue 80, IPFW 69

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Matt Kiefer scored 23 points Saturday afternoon as 17th-ranked Purdue topped Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne, 80-69.

It was a first round contest in the Boilermaker Invitational.

Purdue improved to 8-1, matching its best start since the 1998-99 campaign. The Boilermakers, who are 24-1 all-time in the Boilermaker Invitational, will take on SMU in Sunday's championship game.

Purdue only held a 35-34 lead at the intermission, but built a 70-52 advantage with just over seven minutes remaining.

David Simon scored 19 points for Fort Wayne (2-7), which had won its previous two games against Bowling Green and Morehead State. The Mastodons faced Purdue for the first time.