Nov. 19, 2000
By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue is again playing for a championship.
Camille Cooper scored 19 points as the No. 4 Boilermakers advanced to the Preseason NIT title game with a 71-49 victory over Texas on Sunday.
Purdue will play Louisiana Tech in Monday's championship game.
Cooper scored 10 points in the first half as the Boilermakers (3-0) cruised to a 32-17 halftime lead. Katie Douglas scored 13 and Shereka Wright added 10.
Cooper shot 8 of 13 from the floor and had 10 rebounds.
Texas (2-1) scored the first two points and never got close after that. The Longhorns had 22 turnovers and shot 30 percent from the floor. The Boilermakers largest lead was 67-44.
Stacy Stephens led Texas with 15 points and Tracy Cook had 10.
Both teams combined for 43 turnovers.
Purdue won five Big Ten championships and the 1999 national championship, but had never played in the Preseason NIT. Of the NIT Final Four teams, only Louisiana Tech had ever participated in the event. The Lady Techsters won the NIT in 1996, and beat Virginia 72-59 earlier Sunday to advance to the championship game.
Texas will play No. 13 Virginia in the consolation game.