Jan 13, 2002
By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - The bags of ice on Erika Valek's knees help ease the pain from offseason surgery. Reaching double figures in points and slicing her way down the lane eased her mind that she can still play aggressively.
Shereka Wright scored 16 points, Kelly Komara added 15 and Valek 14 as No. 13 Purdue beat Ohio State 80-43 Sunday.
The Boilermakers (13-3, 4-2 Big Ten) used a 25-7 run late in the first half to take their 20th straight game at Mackey Arena, one shy of the school record. They also have won 18 straight Big Ten home games.
Ohio State (9-8, 4-2) had won four straight and six of seven, with two wins against ranked teams. The Buckeyes trailed by four 11 minutes into the game, but the Boilermakers dominated from there.
Valek scored nine straight points, while Wright and Kelly Komara each hit 3-pointers in the run. Wright, Komara and Valek all reached double figures as Purdue built a 45-21 halftime lead.
Valek went 6-for-7 from the floor and added four assists.
After tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during last year's Mideast Regional semifinal, Valek missed the national championship game against Notre Dame and spent the summer in rehabilitation. She hasn't missed any games this season, but said her knees still hurt.
"I feel like an old lady," she said. "Some days I feel great. Some days I say they're still not healed. I think once the season's over, I'm going to take a break."
Wright, who scored 14 points in the first half, said Valek was playing with confidence.
"She has to be there for us," Wright said. "When she's that confident, she's plays great for us."
Valek had failed to break double digits since scoring a career-high 21 points against UC-Santa Barbara six games ago.
"I think the dynamic of our team changes when Erika is more offensive minded," Komara said.
Komara added six steals to her Big Ten-leading total. She said the Boilermakers put an emphasis on defense last week in practice following a 90-75 loss at Iowa.
"We worked on our defense, our rebounding, our blocking out," she said. "When we practice as hard as we have been, it's going to pay off in the games."
Mary Jo Noon added 10 points for Purdue, which shot 46 percent.
Courtney Coleman led Ohio State with 14 points. The Buckeyes committed 26 turnovers, shot only 28 percent and trailed by 39 late in the second half.
Ohio State coach Beth Burns said playing in front of more than 8,000 fans rattled the Buckeyes when they fell behind.
"We did not do the most basic of things because of the environment," she said. "If we did it the way we intended to do it, I'd like to think we'd have a better shot."
Buckeyes guard Lauren Shenk, who missed eight of her 10 shots, said they to forget the loss and build off the wins over Michigan and Penn State.
"Nothing worked for us offensively or defensively," she said. "We were embarrassed and humiliated. I think you can tell that by the score."