University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Purdue
GOPHER WOMEN DEFEATED BY NO. 6 PURDUE
1/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Boilermakers retained their perfect conference record at 8-0 (18-3 overall) with the win, while the Golden Gophers fell to 8-10 and 1-6 in Big Ten play.
The Gophers were not intimidated by Purdue's lofty rank as Minnesota, behind nine points from Lindsay Whalen, took a 17-15 lead. The Boilermakers changed the game by applying a full-court pressure that forced the Gophers into eight turnovers over nearly a seven-minute span and ignited the 17-0 run and resulted in a 32-15 Purdue lead. A three-pointer by Ozlem Piroglu and a hook shot by Kim Bell brought the Gophers back to within 11 points at 33-22 but it would be as close as Minnesota would get for the rest of the game.
Purdue shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half and made 10-of-12 free throws to maintain its double-digit lead, a lead that would balloon to as many as 28 points with 3:30 to play. Trish McGhee was a bright spot for the Gophers, scoring all nine of her points after the half.
Piroglu captured scoring honors for the Gophers, tallying 14 points with a 6-of-12 shooting performance from the field. She also added five assists. Whalen, the Big Ten leading scorer entering the game, was the only other Gopher to finish in double figures with 13.
Purdue, winners of 10 straight games, had five players score in double figures, led by All-Big Ten center Camille Cooper with 17. The Boilermaker also committed just seven turnovers in the game, compared to 22 for Minnesota.
Minnesota's next action is Sunday when the Gophers play host to Illinois at 2 p.m. in the Sports Pavilion.
