Feb 21, 2002
By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Shereka Wright scored 21 points and had 10 rebounds, and Kelly Komara added 15 points as No. 8 Purdue beat Penn State 64-58 Thursday night to clinch its seventh Big Ten championship in 12 years.
Komara's two free throws with 3:02 left gave the Boilermakers (22-4, 13-3) snapped a tie. On Purdue's next possession, Laura Meadows hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with one second left on the shot clock to make it a four-point lead.
Big Ten leading scorer Kelly Mazzante, who had 15 points, and Jaquelynn Shook sandwiched baskets for Penn State around a Purdue free throw to make it 60-58 with 51 seconds left.
But Wright and Komara each made two free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Purdue was third in the conference in free-throw shooting but made only 18 of 30. The Boilermakers missed several late, keeping Penn State in the game.
Penn State (18-10, 10-5) opened the second half on a 14-4 run to turn a six-point deficit into a 37-33 lead. Tanisha Wright, who had 15, scored 10 points during the run that gave Penn State its last lead.
Mazzante came in averaging 25.3 points a game, the nation's best, but she finished 6-for-21 - kept in check by Komara most of the game.
The Boilermakers finished 13-0 at home and extended their record home-court winning streak to 25.
Purdue doesn't play again until March 1 in the Big Ten tournament. The Boilermakers clinched a first-round bye.
Penn State also earned a bye and is guaranteed no lower than a fourth seed.