Boilers win 13th straight game

By Anne McLaren
Assistant Sports Editor

With All-American Katie Douglas sidelined with a high ankle sprain, the Boilers looked for freshman forward Shereka Wright to have a big game.

"Sometimes great players just need to be needed," said junior guard Kelly Komara. "That’s what Shereka Wright was (Sunday) … Any time Shereka comes into the game she does something positive."

Wright, who is averaging 9.4 points per game on the season, scored a career-high 25 points in Purdue’s 73-64 victory over Michigan (14-8, 7-5 Big Ten) Sunday in Mackey Arena.

"I think you just saw the depth of Purdue’s team — to lose a player of Katie Douglas’ magnitude and have a freshman, for God’s sakes, step in and do the job she did," said Michigan coach Sue Guevara.

Wright said Douglas told her to play for Douglas.

"I stepped up for her and I stepped up for my team," said Wright. "She was talking to me the whole time."

Most of Wright’s points came on driving layups. In fact, she had the opportunity for four three-point plays, converting one.

"With Shereka, you blink your eyes and she’s gone," said Guevara.

Senior center Camille Cooper added 24 points for the No. 6 Boilers (21-3, 11-0), who have won 13 consecutive contests and have a three-game lead over the next closest conference opponents with five games remaining.

"You saw Coop come in and take it to another level in the second half," said Guevara. "I thought we did a good job in the first half trying to make it very difficult for her to get the ball. But she’s not a candidate for player of the year for nothing."

In the first half, Cooper had just four shot attempts.

"Our emphasis at halftime was to get the ball in the paint," said Purdue coach Kristy Curry. "She got nine shots the second half. We missed her the first half."

The Wolverines led 33-28 with 51 seconds remaining in the first half. A 3-pointer by Wright cut the Wolverine lead to two going into halftime.

"I don’t know who that first half team was," Cooper joked. "We should probably find out who they were."

Purdue’s first lead of the second half came at 47-46 on a Komara free throw at the 11:49 mark of the second half. But two baskets by Michigan pushed its lead back to three.

A 12-2 run by the Boilers put them ahead, 59-52. The Wolverines went more than eight minutes without a field goal.

"Down the stretch we made some mistakes that Purdue took advantage of," said Guevara.

However, free throws kept the game close. Three free throws by Alayne Ingram and two by LeeAnn Bies cut Purdue’s lead to 59-57 with 3:47 remaining. The Boilers outscored the Wolverines 14-7 to account for the final score. The nine-point margin was the largest of the contest.

"I think I took the mindset that we weren’t going to lose — we weren’t going to lose at home," said Cooper. "We’re trying to go undefeated in the Big Ten. This was another big challenge for our team."

Ingram led Michigan with 20 points and nine assists. Bies added 13 while Stephanie Gandy, who started for injured Wolverine Anne Thorius, scored 12.

NOTES: Poor free throw shooting plagued the Boilers throughout the game. In the first half, Purdue made just two of seven attempts and for the game made 11 of 21. Michigan, on the other hand, made 13 of 16 … Wright and fellow freshmen Erika Valek and Shalicia Hurns are the first trio of freshman to start a game for Purdue since the 1988-89 season.

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Sports editor:
Paul Trembacki

Assistant sports editor:
Anne McLaren

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