March 7, 2004

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By JON KRAWCZYNSKI
Associated Press Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Purdue senior Shereka Wright was unstoppable and freshman Katie Gearlds was unflappable. That combination was too much for No. 22 Ohio State on Sunday.

Wright scored 31 points and Gearlds hit two clutch 3-pointers down the stretch in No. 6 Purdue's 67-61 win over the Buckeyes in the Big Ten tournament semifinals.

The win put Purdue (26-3) in Monday's championship game against No. 5 Penn State, which defeated No. 25 Michigan State 58-54 in the other semifinal.

"I think it's just exciting to be in the championship game," Wright said. "It is a rematch and we're going to be ready to go. We are the returning champs of the tournament, so we have something to defend."

They have more than their 2003 tourney championship to defend. The Lady Lions are responsible for two of Purdue's three losses this season.

The Boilermakers looked as if they were going to cruise into the championship game after Wright scored 18 points in the first half to give Purdue a 35-23 lead.

Wright, who made 13 of 21 shots, showed a rare selfishness on offense that coach Kristy Curry has been begging for all season.

"She had a lot of shots at halftime, and I told her we needed her to get 10 or 15 more, at least, from her in the second half," Curry said. "She's got to want the ball."

The Buckeyes (20-9) didn't have an answer for Wright's desire and aggressiveness.

"I don't know if we came out intimidated, but we didn't come out playing to win," Ohio State guard Kim Wilburn said.

Ohio State had an entirely different attitude in the second half, relentlessly dumping the ball into the post.

Jessica Davenport (6-foot-5) and LaToya Turner (6-3) towered over the Purdue front, which doesn't have a player taller than 6-1. Their work on the boards and easy layups underneath keyed a 15-4 run midway through the second half.

"[The Championship game] is a rematch and we're going to be ready to go. We are the returning champs of the tournament, so we have something to defend." - Shereka Wright

Caity Matter capped the run with a 3-pointer that gave Ohio State its first lead of the game, 48-47, with just under 11 minutes to play.

Turner led the Buckeyes with 14 points and Davenport added 13 points and nine rebounds.

Gearlds, who finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, responded with a jumper and a 3-pointer for a 54-52 lead.

Wright took over from there. She scored seven points in the last 5:30, including a 3-pointer from the corner that gave the Boilermakers a five-point lead with three minutes to play.

"It all starts with me being aggressive and then that opens things up for those around me," Wright said. "That was the whole thing tonight, just me being aggressive."

A perfect example came with just under a minute to play and the Boilermakers clinging to a three-point lead. The Ohio State defense collapsed on Wright down low, and Gearlds found herself open in the corner.

Erika Valek reacts to a play from the bench behind coach Kristy Curry during the first half.

She drilled the 3-pointer with 52 seconds left to give Purdue a 67-61 lead and seal the win.

"I told them to look for her in the corner and Katie just knocked it down," Curry said.

It was Purdue's 17th win in the last 18 games and third this season over Ohio State. The Boilermakers also edged Ohio State 67-65 in last year's tournament championship game.

"It's easy to get better," Ohio State coach Jim Foster said. "It's much more difficult to be a championship team."

The Boilermakers held Matter, Ohio State's leading scorer, to seven points on 2-of-9 shooting, and snapped the Buckeyes' seven-game winning streak.

Ohio State shot 50 percent from the field and outrebounded Purdue 30-27, but they just didn't have an answer for Wright.

Thanks to Wright's brilliance, and a little help from Gearlds, the Boilermakers are getting one more crack at the Lady Lions, who defeated Purdue last Sunday to clinch the Big Ten regular season title.

"Obviously, there's nothing we can do about Sunday a week ago, but there sure is something we can do about tomorrow night," Curry said.

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