Jan 11, 2004
By JIM PAUL
Associated Press Writer
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Purdue coach Kristy Curry had a message for her team after the first half against Illinois ended in a tie.
"I was extremely upset at halftime and they knew that I was," Curry said. "It's unacceptable to let opportunities slip us by. We've got to understand that this could be a missed opportunity."
The 10th-ranked Boilermakers responded with a 19-4 run to open the second half and held on at the end for a 58-49 win Sunday over the Illini.
Shereka Wright scored 22 points for Purdue (12-2, 2-1), which beat Illinois for the 11th game in a row.
"The first four minutes we jumped out on top of them and took advantage of some fastbreak opportunities and some offensive rebounds," Wright said.
Wright's five straight points started Purdue's decisive run and Emily Heikes and Beth Jones hit 3-pointers as the Boilermakers built a 41-26 lead with 13:06 to go.
"We're playing well right now. We're getting better each and every game," Wright said. Purdue has won three straight since losing its conference opener at home to Penn State.
The Illini (7-7, 1-2), who had battled back from an eight-point deficit in the first half, battled back again with three straight 3-pointers to cut a 14-point Purdue lead to five with 2:30 remaining. But Wright stopped the run with a layup.
"We let the lead get too big," said Illinois coach Theresa Grentz, who is 1-15 against Purdue. "I have an old saying of digging yourself a 10-foot hole and bringing only a 9-foot ladder."
The Illini did cut their deficit to three with one minute remaining, but free throws sealed the game for Purdue.
"They're more of a veteran team. I think they know how to win. I think we're trying to learn how to do that," Grentz said.
Cindy Dallas scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Illinois, her 26th career double-double. Angelina Williams scored 15 points.
Illinois was only 8-for-15 from the free throw line, while Purdue was 15-for-21.
"I thought free throws in the first half were critical," Grentz said. "We were just cold, opportunity after opportunity."
Erika Valek had 10 points and career-high 10 rebounds for Purdue, which hasn't lost to Illinois since Dec. 28, 1997.
"Our team did an excellent job of blocking out," Valek said. "They did all the good work and I just happened to get the easy stuff."
Illinois missed its first six shots of the game and had five straight turnovers at one point, while Purdue rolled off the first eight points. Tiffanie Guthrie finally scored Illinois' first basket with 13:42 to go and the Illini caught a spark.
"I think we looked at each other and we said 'You know what, for as poorly as we're playing, we're still in this game,"' Dallas said.
They went on a 10-2 run and tied the game at 10 with 8:43 to go in the half. Purdue missed five straight shots during the stretch, scoring only on a couple of free throws from Sharika Webb.
The Illini learned after the game that starting guard Aminata Yanni is likely lost for the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained in last Thursday's game against Ohio State. Yanni was the team's second-leading scorer behind Williams, averaging 16 points and four rebounds a game.