March 7, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS - No. 3 seed Purdue knocked off No. 7 seed Wisconsin (18-14) on Saturday and will advance to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament for the 11th time in 15 years.
The Boilermaker post players were dominant in the victory, outscoring the Badgers 38-22 in the paint. Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton and Danielle Campbell combined for 33 Boilermaker points. Wisdom-Hylton scored a team-high 17, pulled down nine rebounds, had two assists, a block and three steals. Danielle Campbell contributed 16 points, including seven in a crucial 18-3 run at the beginning of the second half that put the game away.
Point guard FahKara Malone was scoreless in the first half, but contributed 13 in the second period by attacking the basket. She was 4 of 7 from the field, including 1 of 2 from three-point range and 4 of 6 from the free throw line.
Jodi Howell regained her shooting touch, scoring eight points on 3 of 3 shooting, including 2 of 2 from beyond the arc. Lakisha Freeman scored seven points, had two assists and three steals. Purdue hit 26 of 49 shots for 53.1 percent, the second-highest field goal percentage this season for the Boilermakers.
Wisconsin's Alyssa Karel scored 18 points and Tara Steinbauer contributed 15 points and seven rebounds.
The Boilermakers jumped out to a 15-9 advantage to start the game, but got down by as many as six before using a 7-0 run to take a one-point lead into the locker room at 31-30.
Purdue started the second half the way they finished the first, with a 7-0 run to lead 38-30. The Boilermakers lead by as many as 20 points, 69-49, before taking all five starters out.
The two-time defending Big Ten Tournament champions will take on No. 1 seed Ohio State at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday in Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.