Feb 29, 2004
By DAN LEWERENZ
Associated Press Writer
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - When the jump shot failed Penn State, the Lady Lions turned to defense and penetration to win their second consecutive Big Ten regular season title.
Kelly Mazzante scored 24 points, and Tanisha Wright hit the go-ahead basket as No. 6 Penn State rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat No. 4 Purdue 69-60 Sunday.
The turnaround came with a change in the offensive mind-set in the second half after a disastrous end to the first.
"We took too many jumpers, we didn't attack," Penn State coach Rene Portland said. "They were switching on absolutely everything, and when they're switching and you've got one of their big kids on you, you should be able to take the ball to the hole."
And so Penn State attacked. Jess Brungo missed the second of two free throws with 3:11 left, but Wright scored on the rebound and Brungo hit a 3-pointer a minute later to give the Lady Lions (23-4, 15-1) a 60-56 lead.
Mazzante fouled out with 36.8 seconds left, but by then Penn State led 66-58. Brungo and Jen Harris hit five free throws in the last minute to preserve the win.
The last five Big Ten titles, and the seven of the last 10, have gone to either Purdue (24-3, 14-2) or Penn State. They came into the regular season finale tied atop the league standings.
"We got some key steals, they made some key turnovers, and we were able to convert on the offensive end," Wright said. "But it all started from our defensive end. Without that defensive pressure or the turnovers they had, I don't think that would have happened."
Wright's penetration and Strom's four steals helped Penn State open the second half on a 16-0 run. Wright scored three times driving the lane, and Mazzante's layup gave the Lady Lions their first lead since early in the first half, 38-36.
"I'll beat myself up - I usually do - but I just told the team we choked," Purdue coach Kristy Curry said. "I told them so. Just go ahead and write it."
Purdue regained the lead by scoring seven straight points on back-to-back baskets by Shereka Wright, and a three-point play by Emily Heikes. The lead changed hands three more times before Tanisha Wright's go-ahead basket.
 Erika Valek protects the bal from Penn State's Tanisha Wright.  | |
Wright finished with 16 points, and Brungo scored 13 for Penn State.
Shereka Wright led Purdue with 21 points, Heikes had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Lindsey Hicks had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Penn State started the game strong, with Mazzante hitting two 3-pointers in the first two minutes. Brungo's layup put the Lady Lions up 12-6 with 14:51 left in the first half.
But that's when Penn State's offense struggled. The Lady Lions committed all seven of their first-half turnovers - including two shot-clock violations - after Brungo's layup, and hit just three of 22 field-goal tries. After hitting two of her first three 3-pointers, Mazzante missed her next five and finished the first half 3-of-15 from the field.
"In the first half we were settling for too many jump shots," Mazzante said. "I think that's what we talked about at halftime, too, getting them on their heels and attacking."
Meanwhile, the Boilers used an effective inside-outside game to close the half on a 30-10 run. Purdue hit more than half of its shots (9 of 17) during the run and got to the free-throw line eight times, hitting 12 of 15.
"We were getting aggressive and we brought the intensity to the defense end, got our shots, played our percentages," Shereka Wright, who scored 11 points during the run, said. "We just didn't bring it over to the second half."
Wright hit a running 30-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Purdue a 36-22 lead at halftime.
"When she hit that 3, that was like the worst feeling I've had in a long, long time," Portland said. "It ranks right up there with breaking my ankle."