College Basketball -- Ohio State Women Win At The Line -- Free- Throw String Down Stretch Helps Upset Boilermakers

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Katie Smith made 10 straight free throws in a 15-0 run by Ohio State over the last 4 1/2 minutes yesterday and the Buckeyes surprised No. 11 Purdue 77-70.

Purdue (0-1 Big Ten, 6-4 overall) took a 67-62 lead when Tonya Kirk made a three-point shot with 4:37 to play. The Boilermakers did not score again until Stephanie White hit a three-pointer in the final second.

The Buckeyes (1-1, 10-4) made the most of their free-throw attempts late in the game, hitting 13 of 15 during their 15-point run. Besides Smith's 10, Lisa Negri made two, Marrita Porter hit one of two and GiGi Jackson missed on her only try.

Shelly Nichols' basket with 1:54 to play was the only field goal for Ohio State during that span. It cut the Purdue margin to 67-66 and Smith hit two free throws with 1:33 remaining to put the Buckeyes ahead for good.

The lead changed hands 19 times and the score was tied seven times. The Buckeyes led 36-35 at halftime and neither team led by more than six points until Ohio State took control at the end.

Smith was perfect in 13 tries from the line and finished with 27 points, while Adrienne Johnson added 19 points and Kelly Fergus had 12 for the Buckeyes, who hit 27 of 30 from the foul line for the game.

Stacey Lovelace scored 20 points for Purdue, which was seven for 10 from the line, while Kirk and White had 17 each and Jannon Roland added 12.

OTHER GAMES

At No. 5 Tennessee 84, Memphis 63 - Pashen Thompson scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Vols to victory over their cross-state rival.

Tennessee (10-1) used a balanced scoring attack and an aggressive defense in the second half to turn back the Tigers (4-6), who trailed by only five with 8:17 to play.

Four other Vols joined Thompson in double figures: Michelle Marciniak with 16, Chamique Holdsclaw with 12, and Kellie Jolly and Abby Conklin with 11 each.

LaTonya Johnson led the Tigers with 14 points, while Keeta Matthews finished with 13 and Kitty Allen 11.

The Vols broke a 36-36 tie with 11 straight points at the start of the second half. Marciniak, Tennessee's point guard, scored the first three baskets.

Memphis cut the deficit to 57-52 when Niki Bolden hit a layup and made a foul shot with 8:17 remaining. But the Vols answered with another run of 11 straight points and were never threatened again.

At No. 15 Texas Tech 72, San Francisco 61 - Michi Atkins scored 28 points, including a jumper midway through the second half to break a 46-46 tie, in Tech's 20th victory in a row in Lubbock Municipal Coliseum. Atkins also grabbed 10 rebounds for her sixth consecutive double-double.

The game was close from start to finish, and was tied 11 times. Atkins' jumper at 7:54 broke the last tie, and Tech (9-2) went on to outscore San Francisco 24-15 the rest of the game.

Tech outrebounded San Francisco 38-37 and outshot the Dons from the field 49 percent to 36 percent. Tech freshman guard Rene Hanebutt had 15 points and forward Alicia Thompson added 11.

For San Francisco (4-5), Valerie Gillon had 25 points and nine rebounds. Brittany Lindke had 18 points and Renee Demirdjian 10.

At No. 24 Northwestern 84, Minnesota 71 - Michelle Ratay scored 26 points to lead the Wildcats (2-0 Big Ten, 11-1), who never trailed. Northwestern led by as much as 13 before Minnesota (0-1, 4-7) closed to 38-30 at halftime. Ratay's hot shooting in the early minutes of the second half sealed the win for the Wildcats, whose lead ballooned to as much as 19 points. Christina Braden added 17 points for Northwestern.

TOP 25 MEN'S GAME

No. 21 Virginia Tech 62, Wright State 46 - Damon Watlington scored 20 points and Ace Custis added 16 and grabbed 17 rebounds to give Virginia Tech's Bill Foster his 500th career coaching victory.

Tech (6-1) used a 16-0 run to close the first half and open the second half, holding the Raiders (6-4) without a field goal for 8:17. The spree was highlighted by consecutive dunks off steals by Custis.

The game, originally scheduled for Blacksburg, Va., was moved to New Orleans to accommodate Tech fans attending the Sugar Bowl last night.

NOTES

-- Carlos Williams had 36 points and Chad Jones added 22 as Alabama-Birmingham downed Hawaii-Hilo 87-74 Saturday night in the last game of the round-robin Hilo Holiday Shootout in Hawaii.

The score was close for most of the game as the Blazers (10-3) took a slim 42-38 intermission lead over Division II Hawaii-Hilo. The Vulcans (2-9) came back in the second half for a 51-50 lead, but the Blazers replied with a 9-3 run and were never seriously challenged again.

-- Lee Wilson scored 22 points and had 13 rebounds to lead Arkansas to an 86-77 victory over Jackson State. Kareen Reid added 18 points for Arkansas (7-3).

Titus Hooten was the top scorer for Jackson State (3-9) with 26 points.

-- Osita Nwachukwu scored 16 points, including four crucial free throws in the closing minutes, to lead Wisconsin to a 55-46 victory over Marquette.

In extending its winning streak to four games, Wisconsin (8-4) scored its last 10 points on free throws. Hennssy Auriantal put the Badgers ahead to stay, 46-45, on a free throw with 4:22 remaining. Sean Mason made five free throws and Nwachukwu four as the Badgers pulled away.

-- Grand Valley State Coach Tom Villemure remained hospitalized in Findlay, Ohio, after being treated for heart attack symptoms. Villemure, 56, complained of chest pains and shortness of breath Saturday after Grand Valley's 94-89 overtime loss to Spring Arbor.