Boilers prepare to face Illinois

By Anne McLaren
Assistant Sports Editor

While some may claim IU as Purdue’s biggest rival, junior guard Kelly Komara says an Illinois-Purdue clash is just as big.

"I grew up with the Illinois stations," said the Schererville, Ind., native. "I live closer to Chicago than I do to Indianapolis. So I grew up watching Illinois men’s and women’s teams."

The No. 6 Boilers host the Illini (10-10, 5-3 Big Ten) at 7 tonight in Mackey Arena. Purdue (19-3, 9-0) has won 11 straight contests and holds a three-game lead in the conference standings with seven games remaining.

Just 11 days ago, on Jan. 21, the Boilers beat the Illini 72-64 in Champaign, Ill. Komara led Purdue with 17 points, 15 of which came in the second half.

"More than anything, my offense is triggered by my defense," she said. "If I go in there aggressively and get some steals and deflections and rebounds, then it really helps me on the offensive game. So more than anything I need to concentrate and go in there the first five minutes and play hard, aggressive defense."

Team defense is an area Komara said needs improvement.

"Collectively as a team we need to help more on penetration," she said. "We get in the habit of being so concerned about our matchups that when somebody else’s man beats them, we don’t go over to help. I think we need to do a better job helping out each other."

Assistant coach Kelly Curry agreed.

"I’ve been disappointed with our defensive rotation, as far as when someone gets beat we’re not getting there quick enough to help," he said.

After trailing for approximately 37 of the 45 minutes in Sunday’s 75-50 overtime win over Wisconsin, the Boilers are hoping for a quick start to tonight’s contest.

"(Tuesday) at practice we watched the first five minutes of the Wisconsin game and it showed. We came out very lackadaisical," said Komara. "We want to go into this game and put them away early."

Someone Curry wants to put away is freshman center Iveta Marcauskaite. Marcauskaite, a Lithuania native, scored 20 second-half points against the Boilers on Jan. 21. On the season she is averaging 11.7 points per game.

"We’ve got to stop Marcauskaite," he said. "Obviously that’s something that jumps out. I think that’s something that they’re going to exploit. We’ve got to have patience against their zone and pick it up defensively a little bit."

While Illinois’ post players combined for 34 points against Purdue earlier this season, the starting guards shot 10 of 30 from the field (33 percent). Komara said to stop Allison Curtin (13.4 ppg), Anne O’Neil (11.9 ppg) and Shavonna Hunter (8.5 ppg), all the Boilers have to do is repeat their defensive performance.

"We played them very well defensively there at Illinois," she said. "What we need to do is frustrate them — constantly be on them and make them turn the ball over. As a perimeter player myself, I know that I get frustrated when I have a defender that is all over me the entire game. It not only affects me offensively, but defensively as well."

Though the Boilers have a 3 1/2-game lead over the Illini and have already beaten them, Purdue remains focused on tonight’s contest.

"Personally, I’m never satisfied, and I know that carries over to the team," said Komara. "Our team is never satisfied with anything. It’s midway through the Big Ten season, so we need to keep playing hard. Good things happen when you play hard."

Coach Kristy Curry is looking for that type of attitude.

"We need to play like we’re five down and this thing’s tied up," she said. "It’s going to speak a lot about our character and our leadership — beyond our staff — that our kids recognize where we are and where we’re headed. What is the goal? They know what they have set in front of them."

NOTES: Illinois freshman Aminata Yanni tore her anterior cruciate ligament against Minnesota on Sunday and is out for the season. Yanni was averaging 7.5 points per game. … The Boilers have won 23 of the last 25 meetings with the Illini, including 14 in a row at home. The last Illinois victory in West Lafayette came Jan. 22, 1984. Illinois is 4-0 on the road this season in the Big Ten, but just 1-3 at home.

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Sports editor:
Paul Trembacki

Assistant sports editor:
Anne McLaren

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