Dec 7, 2002
By MEL REISNER
AP Sports Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. - Erika Valek scored a career-high 23 points, and No. 6 Purdue shut down Chantelle Anderson in the second half to earn a 73-66 victory over No. 8 Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Shereka Wright had 14 points and Mary Jo Noon scored 10 for the Boilermakers (6-0), who are off to their best start since the 1992-93 team won its first eight.
Jenni Benningfield had 15 points and nine rebounds for Vanderbilt (4-1).
Anderson, who was 5-of-6 for 10 points in the first half, missed all five shots in the second half and finished with 13. Abi Ramsey had 11 points and Ashley McElhiney had 10 points and 12 assists.
McElhiney scored all of her points in the second half, making two 3-pointers in a 50-second span late in the game. Each cut Vanderbilt's deficit to five points.
But Wright responded to the first with a three-point play with 4:00 left, opening a 58-50 lead, and Valek made two free throws after McElhiney's second long shot, sending Purdue to a 60-53 lead with 2:44 to go.
In the final 1:15, Valek had a fast-break layup and four free throws to hold off Vanderbilt.
The Boilermakers had a 9-4 lead early on, but Vanderbilt rallied and led until late in the first half.
In the final 2:33 of the half, the lead changed hands three times - the last time on a layup by Purdue's Lindsey Hicks with 10 seconds remaining.
Benningfield gave Vanderbilt its last lead at 26-25 with a layup 1:03 into the second half, but Beth Jones made a 3-pointer for Purdue 15 seconds later.
It started an 18-7 run in which Valek scored six points, capping the rally with a pullup jumper for a 43-33 Purdue lead with 9:42 left in the game.