Dec. 9, 2004

Box Score |  Photo Gallery

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI
AP Sports Writer

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - No. 15 DePaul had yet to be tested in this young season, and it showed at Purdue on Thursday night.

Katie Gearlds scored 21 points for No. 21 Purdue, which handed the Blue Demons their first loss of the season, 69-61.

The Blue Demons led for the first 34 minutes, but folded under the pressure when Purdue charged back in the second half.

Erin Lawless scored 16 points and Sharika Webb 12 to go with seven assists for the Boilermakers (5-2). Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton added 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting.

Khara Smith led the Blue Demons (6-1) with 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Jenna Rubino added 14 points.

It was DePaul's first real test after starting the season beating up on the likes of Illinois-Chicago and Murray State in six straight home games. DePaul came in scoring 99.7 points a game with an average margin of victory of nearly 39.

The going was much tougher on the road against Purdue, which has had three games decided by no more than six points.

"We did not plan to be in our gym for six straight and on the road for six straight, but that's how it worked out," DePaul coach Doug Bruno said. "Obviously you don't learn how to win close games when you win 50-point games. So that definitely is a factor."

DePaul shot just 35 percent and missed several key shots down the stretch.

The Blue Demons opened the game with a 12-3 run and led 44-39 with under nine minutes to go when Purdue coach Kristy Curry got tough on her players.

After Smith ended a 6-0 Purdue run with a wide open layup, Curry called timeout and met her team at halfcourt, shouting at them and pleading for sustained effort on defense.

"We need to keep the ball out of the paint," Curry said. "It's just unacceptable. Sooner or later we have to come down and not be satisfied in a basketball game. It was just getting their attention."

That sparked a 13-4 run Lawless capped with a layup for a 52-47 lead with 4:33 to play.

It was a tale of two halves for Purdue, which shot 33 percent in the first half and 68 percent in the second.

When asked what happened to the players who struggled in the first half, Lawless said, "They're gone. Not coming back."

Webb was in the middle of it all, threading no-look passes and hitting a big 3-pointer that gave Purdue its first lead.

The impressive performance was a welcome sight for Curry, who has prodded Webb to work hard in practice and become a leader on the floor.

"That's what's expected night-in and night-out and I know she can accomplish that," Curry said. "This may be a very critical point in her career.

"I hope that she can bottle this up and continue to jumpstart us the rest of the year. It kind of brings tears to my eyes. I'm really happy for that young lady."

The Boilermakers made 13 of 16 foul shots in the final three minutes to avoid losing two in a row for the first time since 2000-01.

The Blue Demons were playing their first game without Charlene Smith, out indefinitely after tearing the ACL and spraining the MCL in her right knee in Monday's game against Loyola-Chicago.

The preseason All-Conference USA player started the previous six games, averaging 11 points.

"We have sympathy and empathy for Charlene," Bruno said. "We feel for Charlene, but we can't have self-pity. It's tough, it stinks ... It happens. You hate it as a coach but you move on."

Purdue Boilermakers

» Schedule | Quick Facts  | Radio and TV Information
» 2009-10 Poster | Statistics 

» Roster | Statistics 

» Head Coach Sharon Versyp
» Asst. Coach Martin Clapp
» Asst. Coach Ukari Figgs
» Asst. Coach Nadine Morgan
» Basketball Operations Terry Kix

» Recruit Questionnaire
» Purdue Academic Rankings

» Katie Douglas | Katie Gearlds
» Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton

» BOILERmaker NETwork | The Gold Mine
» WBCA | Other Links
» Follow Women's Hoops On Twitter
» Virtual Publications
» Video Features
» Words Of Wisdom

» Summer Camp Website and Registration
» 2009 Individual Camp Brochure  
» 2009 Team Camp Brochure