The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- April 12, 1999

Figgs is big late as Purdue rolls to first women's basketball crown

Purdue captured its first Division I Women's Basketball Championship with a 62-45 win over Duke in front of 17,773 spectators at San Jose Arena March 28.

The Boilermakers were led by senior Ukari Figgs, who scored all of her game-high 18 points in the second half.

With the Blue Devils leading, 22-17, at the half, Figgs, who was 0-7 from the floor in the first half, started the second half aggressively by attacking the basket and posting 10 points of Purdue's opening 21-9 run. Also contributing in double figures for the Boilermakers were Camille Cooper and Katie Douglas with 13 points apiece, and senior Stephanie White-McCarty, who contributed 12 points before leaving the game with a sprained left ankle with four minutes remaining.

Figgs told her teammates to forget the first half during half time.

"I knew I came out and let my team down in the first half," she said. "I wasn't being aggressive to the basket. I was struggling for some outside shots, and they weren't falling for me. I knew I had 20 minutes to be a winner or a loser. I wanted us to go out as winners."

White-McCarty was elated with the win and spoke of the challenge of she and Figgs playing their collegiate careers under three different coaches.

"(The championship) means a lot," White-McCarty said. "This is what we stayed for. We stayed for the opportunity. The special group we have on this team makes it really nice and really special."

Purdue head coach Carolyn Peck was complimentary of her two seniors.

"They are awesome," she said. "I can't say enough about them."

Michele VanGorp (15 points) was the only Duke player to score in double figures. Peppi Browne led the Blue Devils in rebounding with nine.

The title match was a reunion for several players as Duke's VanGorp and Nicole Erickson had both transferred from Purdue to play for Duke's head coach Gail Goestenkors.

Purdue advance to the championship game by defeating Louisiana Tech, 77-63, in the semifinals. Duke made its way to the title game with an 81-69 semifinal victory over Georgia.

Peck is leaving Purdue to become the head coach and general manager of the Women's National Basketball Association team in Orlando, Florida.

She said she chose to finish the year with the Purdue team for three reasons. "I chose to stay because of my staff, the team and all the fans," she said. "They have been supportive of me and this team since we stepped foot at Purdue."

The combined-point total of 107 was the lowest in championship-game history. The previous record was 110 in 1988 when Louisiana Tech beat Auburn, 56-54.

Duke finished its season with a 29-7 slate, a school record for victories. Purdue finished 34-1 with a 32-game consecutive-win streak.

Purdue's Figgs was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Joining Figgs on the all-tournament team were teammates White-McCarty and Katie Douglas. Duke's VanGorp and Erickson also were named to the all-tournament squad.

SEMIFINALS

Duke 81, Georgia 69

Georgia: Pam Irwin-Osbolt 0-6, 0-0, 2, 0; Angie Ball 2-5, 0-0, 1, 4; Tawana McDonald 6-11, 2-4, 9, 14; Kelly Miller 5-13, 2-3, 6, 13; Coco Miller 8-14, 0-1, 8, 18; Elena Vishniakova 2-5, 0-0, 0, 4; Deana Nolan 6-11, 0-0, 3, 12; Shavonda Willis 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Kiesha Brown 0-2, 1-2, 1, 1; Camille Murphy 1-1, 0-0, 1, 3. TOTALS: 30-68, 5-10, 35, 69.

Duke: Peppi Browne 4-6, 2-2, 4, 10; Georgia Schweitzer 5-10, 1-1, 5, 13; Michele VanGorp 7-11, 5-7, 9, 20; Hilary Howard 2-6, 3-4, 1, 8; Nicole Erickson 7-15, 4-4, 2, 22; Payton Black 1-1, 0-0, 0, 2; Rochelle Parent 1-2, 0-1, 0, 2; Lauren Rice 1-4, 1-2, 8, 4. TOTALS: 28-55, 16-21, 33, 81.

Half time: Duke 40, Georgia 34. Three-point field goals: Georgia 4-11 (C. Miller 2-3, Murphy 1-1, K. Miller 1-3, Nolan 0-1, Irwin 0-3); Duke 9-16 (Erickson 4-7, Schweitzer 2-4, VanGorp 1-1, Rice 1-1, Howard 1-3). Disqualifications: Vishniakova. Officials: Scott Yarbrough, K. Balque-Moreno, Dennis DeMayo. Attendance: 17,733.

Purdue 77, Louisiana Tech 63

Louisiana Tech: Monica Maxwell 7-16, 1-2, 5, 17; Amanda Wilson 8-15, 1-1, 4, 18; Shaka Massey 3-8, 0-0, 11, 6; LaQuan Stallworth 1-6, 2-2, 6, 4; Tamicha Jackson 1-6, 0-0, 2, 2; Ayana Walker 1-5, 0-0, 6, 2; Betty Lennox 5-15, 1-3, 3, 14; Takeisha Lewis 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; Christie Sides 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Brooke Lassiter 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Priya Gilmore 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. TOTALS: 26-72, 5-8, 41, 63.

Purdue: Stephanie White-McCarty 6-17, 4-5, 5, 17; Michelle Duhart 0-0, 0-0, 4, 0; Camille Cooper 3-9, 1-2, 5, 7; Ukari Figgs 8-14, 3-4, 10, 24; Katie Douglas 5-11, 4-4, 8, 15; Candi Crawford 2-4, 2-2, 3, 6; Kelly Komara 0-2, 0-0, 3, 0; Tiffany Young 4-7, 0-0, 1, 8. TOTALS: 29-64, 14-17, 43, 77.

Half time: Purdue 40, Louisiana Tech 27. Three-point field goals: Louisiana Tech 6-17 (Maxwell 2-7, Wilson 1-1, Jackson 0-2, Lennox 3-7); Purdue 7-14 (White-McCarty 1-1, Figgs 5-7, Douglas 1-4, Komara 0-1, Young 0-1). Disqualifications: None. Officials: Sally Bell, Stan Gaxiola, Lisa Mattingly. Attendance: 17,733.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Purdue 62, Duke 45

Duke: Peppi Browne 2-13, 1-2, 9, 5; Georgia Schweitzer 0-3, 0-0, 4, 0; Michele VanGorp 7-10, 1-2, 5, 15; Hilary Howard 3-7, 0-0, 3, 9; Nicole Erickson 3-9, 0-0, 2, 8; Rochelle Parent 2-3, 2-2, 5, 6; Lauren Rice 1-5, 0-0, 8, 2; Payton Black 0-0, 0-0, 0,0; Krista Gingrich 0-5, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 18-55, 4-6, 38, 45.

Purdue: Stephanie White-McCarty 6-17, 0-1, 1, 12; Michelle Duhart 2-3, 1-2, 5, 5; Camille Cooper 5-9, 3-6, 7, 13; Ukari Figgs 5-15, 8-9, 3, 18; Katie Douglas 3-9, 6-8, 5, 13; Candi Crawford 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Tiffany Young 0-2, 0-0, 2, 0; Kelly Komara 0-0, 1-2, 2, 1. TOTALS: 21-55, 19-28, 33, 62.

Half time: Duke 22, Purdue 17. Three-point field goals: Duke 5-21 (Browne 0-1, Schweitzer 0-1, VanGorp 0-1, Howard 3-6, Erickson 2-6, Rice 0-4, Gingrich 0-2); Purdue 1-13 (White-McCarty 0-4, Figgs 0-5, Douglas 1-3, Young 0-1). Disqualifications: Erickson. Officials: Bob Trammel, Melissa Barlow, Teresa Dahlem. Attendance: 17,773.