Feb 3, 2002
By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - All Purdue needed was four defensive stops to bring some life to a struggling offense.
Shereka Wright scored 22 points, Mary Jo Noon added 20, and seventh-ranked Purdue closed the game with a 22-5 run to beat No. 15 Wisconsin 65-55 Sunday.
The Boilermakers (18-3, 9-2 Big Ten) trailed 50-43 before converting four straight turnovers into points.
Purdue started by turning a turnover and an offensive foul into four points to cut the deficit to one. Kelly Komara added another steal to her league-leading total, drove the length of the floor for a layup and put the Boilermakers ahead 51-50 with six minutes remaining for a lead they wouldn't relinquish. A fourth turnover led to a basket by Noon.
"We quit worrying about our offense and made things happen on the defensive end," Purdue coach Kristy Curry said. "We finally started pushing it out in transition. I told them I wanted to score in the paint."
The Boilermakers outscored the Badgers in the lane 38-26 and scored 19 points off 22 Wisconsin turnovers.
Purdue extended its home-court winning streak to 23 games, and it has won 21 straight Big Ten home games. Curry said that kind of edge gave the Boilermakers confidence to come back.
"We went on another run when it mattered most," Curry said. "I think these kids have been in this position before. It starts with senior leadership, and Komara made that big steal. They've been there before and they just try and feed off that experience."
Jessie Stomski had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Tamara Moore added 13 points for Wisconsin (16-6, 7-5).
Purdue and Wisconsin exchanged the first 10 baskets in the second half before Moore converted a three-point play to give the Badgers a 37-36 lead. The lead was swapped on the next four possessions before a 9-2 run put Wisconsin ahead by seven.
"It's very confusing that our offense can work for 31 minutes and not work for nine," Wisconsin coach Jane Albright said.
Both teams struggled from the floor in the first half, with the Badgers shooting 37 percent and Purdue 32 percent. The Boilermakers led 26-24 at the break.
The Boilermakers shot 48 percent in the second and Curry credited that that to more patience and turnovers.
"They're trying too hard to make things happen instead of being patient and let things come to them," she said. "We finally did a better job of reversing the basketball and getting inside. I was not going to go away from what I felt like would work."
Wright and Noon were the beneficiaries of the inside game, with Noon shooting 50 percent. Wright shot 4-for-11 from the floor but made 14 of 15 free throws.
"Coach told us to come out and be aggressive," Wright said. "We needed a score and we needed to get to the free-throw line."
Wisconsin has lost five straight Big Ten games since starting conference play 7-0, including a 12-point victory over Purdue.