March 7, 2008

INSIDE GAME 5: Today's second game will feature the storied in-state rivalry between No. 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers (15-14, 11-7 Big Ten) against the No. 6 seed Indiana Hoosiers (18-13, 10-8).

INSIDE THE INDIANA/PURDUE BTT SERIES: These two schools have met four times in their home state's capital. Each team has recorded two wins in the series. No. 8 seed Indiana upset No. 1 Purdue, 61-54, in the 1997 quarterfinals in the first tournament meeting, while the Boilermakers earned their revenge the next year as the No. 4 seed beat the No. 5 seed Hoosiers, 65-56. In 2002, No. 5 Indiana once again knocked off top-seed Purdue, 55-41, en route to its lone Big Ten Tournament Championship. In the 2006 semifinals, No. 2 Purdue ended No. 6 Indiana's quest for an upset run at the championship with a 67-41 blowout. So now we have the rubber match! Who will win? Who will earn a shot at the BTT semifinals?

REGULAR SEASON SPLIT: To spice things up even more, both teams earned road victories over the other this season. Indiana dropped a 55-49 home contest on Jan. 3, but responded to take a 66-54 win in West Lafayette on Jan. 14.

1:53 p.m. ET: We have tip off!

1st, 15:23, TIMEOUT (MEDIA): Purdue 6, Indiana 6
The last time the two teams met here at the Big Ten Tournament, head coach Sharon Versyp was on the other sideline. Versyp, a former Purdue standout and now the Boilermakers' coach, served as the Indiana leader in 2006.

1st, 11:56, TIMEOUT (MEDIA): Purdue 13, Indiana 9

PURDUE'S MALONE: FahKara Malone has opened the game with impressive play. She has already recorded 7 of the Boilermakers' 13 points and has been playing tight defense.

INDIANA'S JACKSON: Indiana junior Amber Jackson continues to impress. Yesterday she opened with the Hoosiers' first 11 points, while today she has posted 9 of the team's first 16.

1st, 7:21, TIMEOUT (MEDIA): Purdue 17, Indiana 16
This has been a typical Indiana/Purdue matchup. Both teams are shooting well over 40 percent from the field and have opened with both perimeter and post play.

1st, 2:09, TIMEOUT (MEDIA): Purdue 24, Indiana 22
Purdue's Lakisha Freeman has also provided a spark for the Boilermakers, netting 8 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Malone has 10 points and has already taken 9 shots from the field. The pace is VERY up-tempo right now.

1st, 0:41.5, TIMEOUT (PUR): Purdue 26, Indiana 24

HALFTIME: Indiana, 27, Purdue 26
It's turning in to a good ol' fashion barnburner here at Conseco. Indiana made a late score off a Purdue turnover to take the lead at halftime.

2nd, 15:37, TIMEOUT (MEDIA): Indiana 33, Purdue 31
Attendance for session two was just announced. A total of 7,320 fans were in attendance for this session, which marked the second-best session two attendance mark in the tournament's history. The 2006 tournament welcomed 7,493 patrons during the second session.

2nd, 13:18, TIMEOUT (IND): Purdue 38, Indiana 33
Purdue has taken back the lead with a 7-0 run, which prompted Indiana's Felisha Legette-Jack to call a full timeout.

2nd, 11:47, TIMEOUT (MEDIA): Purdue 40, Indiana 35

2nd, 9:12, TIMEOUT (PUR): Purdue 42, Indiana 41
Despite trailing, Indiana has regained the momentum of the game and Sharon Versyp was forced to calm her troops by calling a timeout. Things seem to be going Indiana's way right now, but IU is shooting 39 percent from the floor right now and have turned the ball over 15 times.

2nd, 7:43, TIMEOUT (MEDIA): Indiana 44, Purdue 42
Whitney Thomas has helped lead the Hoosiers back to the lead. Thomas has 8 points, 6 boards and 2 assists. Credit Jamie Braun as well. She has 5 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists on the day.

2nd, 6:11, TIMEOUT (PUR): Indiana 48, Purdue 45
Amber Jackson has played very well in this game and is nearing a double-double. She currently has 14 points and 9 rebounds.

2nd, 5:26: Indiana 48, Purdue 48
Indiana's Whitney Thomas forced to leave game with 4 fouls. Purdue answers with two free throws by Malone.

2nd, 3:57, TIMEOUT (IND): Purdue 52, Indiana 50
Purdue's Malone strikes again on a breakaway lay-up.

2nd, 3:39, TIMEOUT (PUR): Purdue 52, Indiana 50

2nd, 3:01, TIMEOUT (MEDIA): Purdue 55, Indiana 50
Purdue's Malone extends the Boilermakers' lead with a 3-pointer from the corner. Malone now has 23 points on 8-of-20 shooting.

2nd, 1:53, TIMEOUT (IND): Purdue 59, Indiana 50
Purdue appears set to take the rubber match in the BTT series. Indiana is a deflated team right now as the game it once led has slipped away.

2nd, 1:36: Purdue 60, Indiana 50
Indiana's Whitney Thomas has just fouled out.

2nd, 0:53.5, TIMEOUT (IND): Purdue 63, Indiana 54

FINAL: Purdue 64, Indiana 54
This game certainly looked as if it was going down to the wire, but Purdue pulled away in the end. FahKara Malone had a game-high 26 points on 8-of-20 shooting. Malone had trouble at the free-throw line, however, having only connected on 7-of-16 from the line. Indiana was led by Amber Jackson with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 10 rebounds.