March 16, 2002
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By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYTTE, Ind. - The deeper into the NCAA tournament Purdue plays, the more Kelly Komara can put two of her records farther out of reach.
Komara had 17 points, six rebounds and six steals as Purdue beat Austin Peay 80-49 on Saturday in the first round of the women's Mideast Regional.
The second-seeded Boilermakers (24-5) advanced to a second-round game Monday against seventh-seeded Old Dominion, a 68-54 winner over Georgia.
Komara is the only senior who has played all four years at Purdue. She has been part of 112 career victories, making her the only member of the winningest senior class in Big Ten history.
Last year's Purdue senior class set the previous record with 111 victories. Komara said she wasn't focused on breaking the record.
"I just wanted to survive to live another today in the tournament," she said. "It means a lot, but it will mean more down the road."
Komara was a freshman on the 1999 national championship team and a starter on last year's team that lost to Notre Dame in the title game.
The Boilermakers have been waiting for the NCAA tournament to start ever since the loss. They took a 31-7 first-half lead as Austin Peay missed its first nine shots and never recovered.
The Lady Govs (19-12), who earned the automatic bid by winning the Ohio Valley Conference's postseason tournament, were making their third NCAA tournament appearance. Tennessee beat the Lady Govs 80-38 in the first round a year ago.
Komara, the Big Ten's defensive player of the year and Purdue's single-season steals leader, put her team ahead to stay early on.
She scored seven straight points in the first half. Komara converted a 3-point play, then grabbed a rebound and went the length of the court for a layup and followed with a steal that she turned into a layup.
Komara paced a defensive effort that forced 20 turnovers.
"We did a good job of pressuring the ball and not giving them an open lane to pass in," Komara said. "I just kind of snuck in there a few times and got my hand on the ball."
Komara extended her steals record to 112.
The Boilermakers led 43-15 at halftime, shooting 58 percent.
Shereka Wright added 13 points and Erika Valek had 12 for Purdue, playing in its ninth straight NCAA tournament. Valek, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament in last year's Mideast Regional final, also had four steals.
Komara, 8-for-13 from the field, and Wright sat out most of the second half as the reserves pushed the lead to 37 points.
The Boilermakers were coming off a loss to Indiana in a Big Ten tournament semifinal and had not played in 13 days. Coach Kristy Curry said he had to find ways to keep the Boilermakers focused.
"These kids understand you're going to have days like we had," she said. "You've got to try to turn everything into a positive. I don't think confidence has been a factor."
Gerlonda Hardin led Austin Peay with 19 points and six rebounds and Brooke Armistead added 13 points.
The Lady Govs shot 33 percent and went 3-for-18 from 3-point range.
Coach Susie Gardner said it was hard just to make the tournament. She said it would be harder to get the team past the first round.
"Can it be done? I'm not sure," she said. "We're going to do what we can, but at the same time this was an absolutely different level of competition."