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| 01-16-2004 | Previous edition: 01-15-2004 |
        
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Printer-friendly version Boilers seek to avenge loss versus undefeated Gophers
Senior Writer Purdue thinks it has found the secret to stopping Lindsay Whalen. Don’t even try. When No. 6 Minnesota comes to town Sunday to take on the Purdue women’s basketball team, it will have Whalen, one of the premier guards in the country in tow. And, instead of focusing on shutting her down, the Boilers have a slightly different game plan in mind. "You just have to focus on everyone else other than Lindsay Whalen," senior guard Erika Valek said. "She’s going to get her points regardless of who’s on her." Valek is confident that if her teammates manage to stop Whalen’s teammates from having an impact on Sunday’s contest, the Boilers will emerge victorious. It’s a task easier said than done, considering the Golden Gophers also boast one of the Big Ten’s top centers in Janel McCarville. Minnesota’s Whalen-McCarville outside-inside duo is a large part of the reason for the Gophers’ season-opening win streak. Heading into Thursday’s game at Ohio State, they were a perfect 14-0, making Minnesota one of only two teams in the country that is undefeated. During that stretch, Whalen has scored an average of 23 points per game, while McCarville has added 16.2 and just over 10 rebounds per outing. What’s more impressive is that they’ve done it without hogging all the playing time. Whalen averages just under 32 minutes per game, and neither she nor McCarville lead the Gophers in minutes. That distinction belongs to Shannon Schonrock, who handles her share of the scoring column with 8.7 points per game. As usual, Purdue players insist they won’t shy away from the formidable competition that waits; rather, they’re grateful for the opportunity to prove themselves against the team that beat them in the teams' only meeting in Minneapolis, Minn., last season. "They play well; they make you want to play well," senior forward Shereka Wright said. "It kind of tests where you stand at and the type of player you are." In that meeting, Purdue learned the hard way not to try to stop Whalen. The guard torched the Boilers with 26 points and 10 rebounds as the Gophers captured a 90-75 victory. Dollar Tickets Available For fans who want to catch the Boilers’ showdown with Minnesota, all it takes is a dollar. There are still $1 tickets available for Purdue’s game against the No. 6 Gophers Sunday. Dollar seating is valid for the upper level only. Minnesota had a similar deal for last year’s game against the Boilers and it sparked a 13,117-fan turnout. "We haven’t had a lot of people in the upper section before," Valek said. "Lets just hope the dollar helps." Printer-friendly version |
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