March 17, 2002
GAME: No. 7 Old Dominion (26-5) vs. No. 2 Purdue (24-5).
REGIONAL: Mideast, Second Round.
TIME: Monday, 7:05 p.m. EST.
SITE: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Ind.
Kelly Komara knows what it takes to advance in the NCAA tournament, and itshowed in her opening-round performance.
Purdue hopes the senior guard continues her intense play in a matchup withOld Dominion, as the teams play for the right to advance to the SweetSixteen.
Komara, who has played in two national championship games, had 17 points,six rebounds and six steals as Purdue defeated Austin Peay 80-49 in thefirst round Saturday.
Komara was a freshman on the 1999 championship team, and a starter on lastyear's team that lost to Notre Dame in the title game. She is the Big Ten'sdefensive player of the year, and Purdue's single-season steals leader with112.
Purdue, making its ninth straight NCAA tournament appearance, also got astrong performance from Erika Valek, who tore her anterior cruciate ligamentin last year's Mideast regional final. She had 12 points, six rebounds, fiveassists and four steals.
While Komara and Valek will again be counted on, the Boilermakers will needa strong defensive effort from their frontcourt players as the paint area iswhere the Lady Monarchs excel.
Lucienne Berthieu was hacked or ran into a double team almost every time shehad the ball in the low post, but had 24 points and nine rebounds as OldDominion defeated Georgia 68-54 in the first round Saturday.
Berthieu, a 6-foot-2 center, is a three-time Colonial Athletic Associationplayer of the year.
"We've got problems in the paint," Purdue coach Kristy Curry said. "It willhave to be our best defensive effort from our post. Also, don't lose sightthat the perimeter has got to do a good job pressuring the pass. We're goingto have to come out and see if we can rise to the occasion."
A year ago, Berthieu sat out the season with a torn knee ligament andwatched as Old Dominion was eliminated in the tournament's first round.
Old Dominion has won each of the three meetings between the teams.
The winner faces either third-seeded Kansas State or sixth-seeded Arkansasin Milwaukee on Saturday.
PROBABLE STARTERS:
Old Dominion - F Monique Coker (9.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg), FHamchetou Maiga (11.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg), C Berthieu (13.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg), GTiffany Thompson (5.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg), G Sharron Francis (7.5 ppg, 5.3 apg).
Purdue - F Laura Meadows (9.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg), F Shereka Wright (18.9 ppg, 6.6rpg), C Mary Jo Noon (13.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg), G Komara (12.7 ppg, 4.1 apg), GValek (7.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
Old Dominion - Automatic bid, Colonial AthleticAssociation champion, defeated No. 10 Georgia 68-54, first round.
Purdue - At-large bid, Big Ten Conference, defeated No. 15 Austin Peay 80-49, firstround.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD:
Old Dominion - 30-17, 19 years.
Purdue - 27-11,13 years.