Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Purdue
Women's Hoops Outlasted by Purdue, 76-60
1/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - Purdue guard Erika Valek matched the career high she set Thursday by scoring 26 points as the Boilermakers (16-3, 4-2 Big Ten) topped Northwestern 76-60 at Welsh-Ryan Arena Sunday afternoon.
"Valek is their most important player, because she handles the ball so well," NU head coach June Olkowski. "She gets everyone calm and doing what they need to do. She has a complete game."
Valek left the game early in the second half after colliding with NU forward Ifeoma Okonkwo (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak). But she returned and scored 13 of her 19 second-half points in a 5:01 stretch midway through the period to help Purdue pull away. The sophomore also dished out a game-high six assists in 39 minutes of action.
NU (6-13, 1-7 Big Ten) trailed by eight after a Mary Jo Noon layup started the second-half scoring. A pair of Okonkwo free throws cut that lead in half, to 36-32, with 18:23 to play, bringing the 'Cats as close as they would get in the second half. After the Boilermakers extended their lead, a 6-0 NU run cut the Purdue edge to nine, 62-53, with 4:48 to play. The two-time defending Big Ten champions outscored NU 14-7 to close the contest.
"Our kids gave a good effort," Olkowski said. "We played pretty evenly throughout the game, but their players stepped up in the absence of Shereka Wright."
Wright, an All-America candidate forward, missed her first game of the season after suffering a hand injury Thursday against Iowa.
Sophomore center Sarah Kwasinski (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) led the 'Cats with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting and seven rebounds. Kwasinski and fellow center Leslie Dolland (Bloomington, Minn./The Blake School) shared team-high honors with four assists each, as NU's post players consistently found cutting teammates for easy baskets. For the game, NU shot 49 percent from the field, easily their top mark in Big Ten play this season.
Sophomore guards Samantha McComb (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) and Melissa Culver (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) joined Kwasinski in double figures. McComb finished with 15 points, making both of her three-point attempts, while Culver added 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting off the bench. NU's reserves outscored Purdue's 13-9, marking the seventh time in eight Big Ten contests NU has won the bench battle.
Purdue shot 21-of-24 (88 percent) from the foul line to help extend the lead in the second half. NU also shot well from the line, turning in its best effort of the conference season with a 15-for-17 (88 percent) showing.
NU is next in action when they host Wisconsin Thursday, January 30. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
Northwestern Head Coach June Olkowski
Opening statement ...
"I thought we played pretty evenly throughout the game, but you can't put them on the line that much and beat anybody. Their players stepped up in the absence of Shereka Wright. Their point guard did a great job, as did both of their post players. We made some mental errors in the second half with 11 turnovers."
On the impact of guard play in the Big Ten ...
"When I first came into this league, I thought it was a post player's league. But this league is really a guard's league. All the good teams have extremely good point guards. Erika Valek is there glue."
On the team's offense ...
"We need people to score for us. We don't want our players to force anything, but we want people to honor everyone."
Purdue Head Coach Kristy Curry
On the play of Northwestern ...
"This is the best Northwestern team since I have been here. When you beat Michigan State, which beat Purdue and Minnesota, you're a pretty good team."
On the significance of this game ...
"We had a calm confidence. We approached this game the same way as all of our other games. We respect Northwestern."
On the recent play of her team ...
"I am really pleased with where we are right now. We just need to focus on playing to our strengths and that will make our team better."
