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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Last-minute starter Mackenzie
Curless hit a short jumper in the final minute as defending NCAA
champion Purdue held off Dartmouth 70-66 Saturday night to reach
the second round of the East Regional.
The 13th-ranked Boilermakers (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 13 AP) had to rally in the closing minutes after wasting a 20-point first-half lead.
|  | | Purdue's Camille Cooper eyes the basket after grabbing a rebound over Stephanie Kinnear. |
Dartmouth (20-8) took its only lead of the game at 65-64 on a
jumper by Stephanie Kinnear with 4:40 remaining. Big Ten player of
the year Katie Douglas, who had a rare off-night, hit two free
throws with 4:12 left to give Purdue (23-7) a 66-65 edge.
The Ivy League champions had three more chances to regain the
lead. Jackie Lippe missed a jumper, and Samantha Berdinka's long
shot bounced off the front of the rim. After Purdue missed three
straight shots, Kinnear was fouled with 2:18 remaining. She missed
the first free throw and hit the second to tie the game.
Curless, starting because Michelle Duhart was attending her
grandfather's funeral, took a pass just inside the free throw line
and her jumper put Purdue ahead to stay. Dartmouth's final chance
to tie the game saw Berdinka's layup roll off the rim.
Douglas grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and made both shots
from the line with 21 seconds to go.
An airball by Courtney Banghart, who led Dartmouth with 20
points, sealed the victory for Purdue.
The Boilermakers next play 18th-ranked Oklahoma on Monday night
here in Mackey Arena, where Purdue is 10-3 in tournament play.
Camille Cooper led Purdue with 21 points and eight rebounds,
helping the Boilermakers record a 49-31 rebounding advantage.
Douglas, the Big Ten's scoring leader with a 21.3 average, had
12 points on 2-of-11 shooting.
Purdue built a 20-point lead twice in the first half, the last
time at 39-19 following two free throws by Douglas with 3:49 left.
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ALSO SEE
Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
Dartmouth NCAA Team Report
Purdue NCAA Team Report
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