The Purdue Exponent


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Leadership contributes to win

Boilers overcome Illinois to win ninth straight contest

Liz Nicol/Senior Photographer

OVER THE TOP: Purdue forward Candi Crawford attempts a shot against Illinois on Sunday. Crawford had four points and three rebounds off the bench as the Boilers beat the Illini 72-64 to record their ninth straight victory.

By Anne McLaren
Assistant Sports Editor

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Purdue’s veterans played with poise as they overcame a late Illinois’ run to win their ninth straight contest, 72-64, in Assembly Hall Sunday afternoon.

Junior Kelly Komara and seniors Katie Douglas and Camille Cooper combined for 33 second-half points for the No. 6 Boilers (17-3, 7-0). Komara led Purdue with 17 points while Douglas added 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Cooper had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

With five seniors and a junior, Purdue has more leadership than Illinois (9-9, 4-2), which has no seniors and four juniors.

"We have enough veteran players to kind of calm down our freshmen," said Komara.

Illini coach Theresa Grentz said the leadership factor was evident in the Boiler victory.

"I think the leadership was killing us in this game," said Grentz. "As that gets better — I think we did a lot of good things in this game — I see a lot of bright spots for the future.

"At times you look on the floor and I had four freshmen playing. That’s a very pressure-packed situation, and I’m not sure we’re ready to handle that."

Grentz said that Douglas showed why she’s an All-American.

"She doesn’t blow up like a volcano," she said.

"When she’s not doing things, she keeps the rest of her players involved. That’s why the kid’s worth her weight in gold."

Grentz singled out former Boiler Stephanie McCarty as an example of a good leader. Grentz recalled a game in which McCarty was having a poor shooting night.

"(But) she was the most valuable player on the team," said Grentz. "Why? Because she empowered the other players to continue to play."

Illinois’ Iveta Marcauskaite scored all 20 of her game-high points in the second half. During one stretch she scored 17 of 19 points for the Illini. Purdue coach Kristy Curry did not like the way her team attempted to defend Marcauskaite.

"That was a ridiculous job by us," said Curry. "You probably thought that we absolutely lost our minds as a staff. We were trying to get the help to come and it never came from the right spot. We didn’t do a very good job with that."

A free throw by Shereka Wright with 13:41 remaining gave Purdue a 47-36 lead. But 10 straight Illini points cut that lead to just one. In that stretch, Douglas was called for two offensive fouls. With Purdue leading 47-46, Douglas hit a 3-pointer and then stole the ball on the ensuing Illinois position and scored a fastbreak layup.

"I get a little frustrated out there sometimes," said Douglas. "I knew my team needed me to step up, whether it be emotionally as a leader or as scorer … After that ‘suspect’ offensive foul, it got me more motivated to go out and play hard."

Purdue shot just 33 percent from the field in the first half (12 of 36) and turned the ball over 14 times. But the Boilers still led 32-27 at halftime, in part due to 15 first half offensive rebounds.

"Purdue did a good job boxing out," said Illinois center Dawn Vana. "And perhaps we didn’t. They got all the offensive boards in the first half.

"They were hurting us so bad on offensive rebounds in the first half that in the second half we were so concerned about that we forgot about the 3-ball," she said. "They hit a couple that really nailed us."

In the second half, Purdue hit 5-of-7 3-point attempts and increased its shooting percentage to 59 percent. For the game, the Boilers outrebounded the Illini 47-34, including 23 offensive rebounds.

"That’s amazing for our team," said Douglas. "We really focus on going hard to the boards both offensively and defensively."

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