Jan 27, 2002
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By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Purdue entered Sunday's game looking to snap a three-game losing streak to Iowa and set a record for consecutive home victories.
The Boilermakers came out with something more important: the lead in the Big Ten race.
Mary Jo Noon had 19 points and 11 rebounds Sunday, helping No. 10 Purdue beat Iowa 82-68 and set a school record with 22 straight wins at Mackey Arena.
The Boilermakers (16-3, 7-2 Big Ten) broke the record set during the 1997-98 to 1999-00 seasons. Their last loss at home came to Louisiana Tech on Nov. 20, 2000. They also have won 20 straight home games against Big Ten teams.
"I means a lot to me because of my kids. It's all about the kids with me," Purdue coach Kristy Curry said. "It wasn't with us about focusing on the winning streak. It was another Big Ten game we needed to win. If we can keep doing it, that would be great."
Kelly Komara scored 19 points, Shereka Wright had 14, Laura Meadows 13 and Erika Valek 12 for the Boilermakers, who used a late first-half surge to break open the game.
Iowa had beaten Purdue three straight times, including a 90-75 win this season and a victory in last year's Big Ten tournament championship game
"It's very satisfying just because of how hard the loss was at Iowa," Komara said. "It was a loss that determined if we were going to bounce back or not be as good. I think that we really bounced back from that loss."
The Boilermakers have followed the loss with five straight wins and moved into first place by half-game following Penn State's upset over No. 9 Wisconsin. Purdue is 7-2, while the Badgers are 7-3.
A 3-pointer by Valek capped an 18-7 run that gave Purdue a 40-24 lead. But Lindsey Meder, who led Iowa with 25 points, hit consecutive 3s and Leah Magner also made one to make it 41-33 with 1:35 left.
The Boilermakers scored the final seven points - five by Komara - and led 48-33 at the half.
"Going into the half, we had to make something happen," Komara said. "We had to do whatever we could to deflate them. They were starting to get their energy up, so I knew we had to do something. I took it upon myself to do something to get us into halftime."
That run proved to be the spark the Boilermakers needed to shake any doubt that Iowa could come back, Curry said.
Kristi Faulkner scored 13 points for Iowa (13-6, 6-3). Meder, the Big Ten's leading 3-point shooter, went 5-for-10.
"Meder had a nice game for us, but it takes more than one person," Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. "We just did not get that."
It was a complete a turnaround from Iowa's 15-point victory in January when the Hawkeyes had six players score in double figure. On Sunday, Purdue held a 43-26 rebounding edge and limited Iowa to eight offensive boards.
"We did not get to the glass like we're capable of," Bluder said.
Purdue stretched the lead to 22 points after Valek converted a three-point play early in the second half. Iowa drew within 12, but with less than two minutes left.