December 30, 1998
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Purdue coach Carolyn Peck thinks her No. 3 Boilermakers are on track as they embark on defending their Big Ten title.
Ukari Figgs scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds as Purdue defeated Minnesota 73-52 Wednesday to open the Boilermakers' Big Ten play.
"I'd have rate our game as average, but that's not bad," Peck said. "It is early and we know what we have to improve on."
Purdue (9-1, 1-0 Big Ten) broke the game open midway through the first half by going on a 14-2 run in just under a six-minute stretch to take an 18-9 lead on Camile Cooper's free throw with 10:51 left.
The Boilermakers slowly built their lead to a 41-29 halftime edge. Purdue then held Minnesota scoreless over the first seven minutes of the second half, amassing a 46-29 advantage with Katie Douglas' driving layup with 14:00 remaining.
"We saw what knuckling down and playing tough team defense can do for you," Peck said of the Gophers' seven-minute drought.
The Gophers (5-7, 0-1) didn't score until 12:43 remaining in the second half when Sonja Robinson hit a basket to cut the deficit to 46-31. Minnesota was 2-of-13 from the field in the first 10 minutes of the second half and committed eight turnovers in the same stretch.
Minnesota finished with 23 turnovers and was outrebounded, 39-29.
Stephanie White-McCarty added 13 points for the Boilermakers, while Douglas ended the night with 12 points. Erin Olson led the Gophers with 13 points, while Cassie VanderHeyden and Jackie Tate each scored 11 points.
While it is White-McCarty and Figgs who Purdue in scoring, Peck was pleased with the way the reserves - Kelly Komara, Tiffany Young, Mackenzie Curless and Candi Crawford - contributed in rebounding and scoring.