By JON KRAWCZYNSKI
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Ninth-ranked Purdue's bench picked the perfect game to deliver its best performance of the season.
Erin Lawless led a potent second unit with a career-high 16 points and five assists, allowing the starters to rest in a 71-41 victory over Northwestern on Thursday night.
The dominating performance means the starters are rested and the reserves are confident for Purdue's showdown with No. 6 Minnesota - the only undefeated team in the country - on Sunday.
"They brought tremendous effort and confidence," starter Shereka Wright said of the second unit. "They need to bring that every night and they understand that."
Purdue's reserves outscored their starters 45-26. The Boilermakers scored 28 points off 28 Northwestern turnovers and shot 10-for-20 from 3-point range to win their fourth in a row.
There was no letdown for the Boilermakers (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten) against the Wildcats (7-8, 0-4).
"I'm very pleased with our team's effort and intensity," Purdue coach Kristy Curry said. "The second group was absolutely outstanding."
Melissa Culver scored on a fast break 4 minutes into the game to pull the Wildcats within 6-4, but it was all downhill from there.
Playing primarily with their second unit, the Boilermakers ripped off a 19-0 run midway through the first half to take a 25-4 lead. Lawless, a freshman, fueled the run with eight points and Purdue held Northwestern scoreless for nearly 8 minutes to put the game away.
 | Everything just seemed to be working for me tonight. |
"Everything just seemed to be working for me tonight," Lawless said. "It's something I've been waiting for for a long time."
Purdue's fullcourt pressure gave the Wildcats fits. Northwestern turned the ball over 14 times in the first half in falling behind 43-12.
Lawless was 5-of-8 from the field, including hitting the first two 3-pointers of her young career.
"They made wide open shots," Northwestern coach June Olkowski said. "And they were WIDE open. That wasn't the game plan, believe me."
Culver scored 13 points for the Wildcats, who lost their fourth straight.
Katie Gearlds added 11 points and seven steals for Purdue.
The Boilermakers never looked past Northwestern in anticipation of the big game on Sunday, playing what is becoming their trademark suffocating defense.
Purdue had 17 steals, often times refusing to allow Northwestern ball handlers to cross midcourt.
"They gave us pressure and we didn't handle it well," Olkowski said. "They have a great blend of talent."
That blend allowed Wright, the team's leading scorer at 19.6 points a game, to rest her aching back. She scored 10 points and had six rebounds in 16 minutes.
All that means the Boilermakers will be ready when the Gophers come to town.
"I think our first group should be rested and confident and our second group should be energized and more confident from this experience," Curry said.