Jan. 21, 2007
Final Stats
Download Free Acrobat Reader
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) -Katie Gearlds scored 21 points and Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton added 15 points and 10 rebounds as No. 12 Purdue beat Indiana 81-58 on Sunday.
The game marked the return to Assembly Hall of Purdue coach Sharon Versyp, who left the Hoosiers last April to take over the Boilermakers.
Purdue (18-3, 7-0 Big Ten) scored the first 10 points, took a 38-24 lead at halftime, built it to as many as 23 points midway through the second half and never led by fewer than 17 points after that.
FahKara Malone had 13 points and set a Purdue freshman record for steals with her 65th of the season.
Indiana (13-7, 2-5) was led by Whitney Thomas with 17 points and Mikki Smith with 13.
Gearlds outscored Indiana by herself for the first 12 minutes with four 3-point goals and a basket and free throw.
She had three 3s during a 16-2 run that pushed the lead to 29-10, but the Boilermakers' defense played a big role in the quick start.
Indiana missed its first five shots, had five turnovers - all of which led to Purdue baskets - and three fouls in the first four minutes. The Hoosiers were shooting only 3-of-17 when Gearlds went to the bench for her first rest.
That's when Indiana made its only brief comeback.
A layup and a 3-pointer by Leah Enterline cut the lead to 29-15, then baskets by Smith and Jamie Braun brought the Hoosiers with 10 points before Purdue's starters returned.
Gearlds didn't score the rest of the first half, but the Boilermakers took a 38-24 lead at the break and began pulling away with a 3-pointer by Jodi Howell at the start of the second half.