|
Celebrating 10 Years of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis
Jan. 6, 2005
On March 1, 1999, top-ranked and top-seeded Purdue was nearly upset by third-seeded Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament Championship, which was the final game held at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The Tournament was held at the RCA Dome from 1997-99. Purdue's Stephanie White-McCarty, the Tournament MVP, scored a game-high 31 points, including four free throws in the final 33 seconds, to give the Boilermakers an 80-76 victory over the unranked Fighting Illini. The Boilermakers won their 26th consecutive game and second-straight Tournament title under head coach Carolyn Peck. Illinois battled back from a 47-38 deficit in the second half to take a 74-71 lead after two free throws from Tauja Catchings, who led Illinois with a career-high 26 points. White-McCarty knotted the score by hitting a three-pointer with 2:07 to play. The Boilermakers closed out the Illini in the final two minutes and finished the game with three in double-figure scoring, including Katie Douglas with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Allison Curtin had a season-high 24, including four three-pointers for Illinois. The Illini finished the season 19-12 after a second-round loss in the NCAA Championship, while the near-upset gave the Boilermakers momentum heading into the tournament. Purdue went on to win the NCAA title, the first for a Big Ten women's basketball program.
|
|
