Nov 23, 2003
By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Duke lacked chemistry and character in a season-opening loss a week ago. The fourth-ranked Blue Devils had no trouble rebounding against another quality opponent Sunday.
Mistie Bass and Iciss Tillis controlled the inside in the second half, leading Duke to a 93-63 victory over No. 5 Purdue in the Jimmy V Women's Classic.
Duke's players vowed to come back after losing to No. 2 Texas 85-77 last Sunday.
"We worked on a lot of things this week and it showed in the game. We put everything together," All-American Alana Beard said. "We worked on being disciplined and trusting each other defensively. Our defense was awesome and we were all on the same page."
The winning margin was the largest in school history against a team ranked in the top 5.
"We were awful, really awful," said Purdue coach Kristy Curry, whose team committed 23 turnovers. "They just flat out give us a good old country kicking. I was extremely embarrassed."
The Blue Devils (2-1) took the rematch of the 1999 national title game won by Purdue despite Beard battling foul trouble most of the game.
"It was important for us to play very, very well without Alana," Duke coach Gail Goestenkors said. "People have questioned that in the past. We needed to rid ourselves of those demons and understand that we have so many players that can and will step up."
Bass and Tillis finished with 18 points each, while Beard had 11 of her 20 over the final 7:59 after sitting out nearly 10 minutes. Shereka Wright led Purdue with 20.
Beard picked up her third and fourth fouls in the span of a minute with 18:17 left and was sent to the bench. But Bass and Tillis picked up the slack for the Blue Devils, who improved to 24-7 against ranked opponents during the last four years.
Bass made four inside baskets and drew a charge over a five-minute span and Tillis added a layup and 3-pointer, helping Duke push its eight-point lead to 19 with 12:06 remaining.
Purdue, ranked in the top five for the first time since November 2000, fell behind 66-42 two minutes later on a three-point play by Bass.
"This makes me feel good about our future and where we're heading," Goestenkors said.
It took Purdue (1-1) almost five minutes to score at the outset and the Boilermakers turned the ball over 12 times in the first half to trail 36-27.
"In the first five minutes we didn't have it, the emotion was not there," Wright said.
Duke forged a comfortable lead despite shooting 36 percent and coughing up the ball 11 times in a sloppy opening 20 minutes.
The Blue Devils also lost top freshman Brittany Hunter six minutes into the game with an injured right knee. Hunter was averaging 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. She returned to the bench to start the second half on crutches and is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.