GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- Cara Consuegra celebrated her
birthday with a Big Ten tournament championship.
Consuegra scored 17 points, including seven free throws in the
final 37 seconds, as Iowa beat Purdue 75-70 Sunday in
the Big Ten title game.
|  | | Purdue players didn't enjoy losing their first Big Ten tournament game, as not even the seniors had lost in the tournament in their career.
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"This was by far the best birthday present I ever had," said
Consuegra, who was named the tournament's most valuable player on
her 22nd birthday.
Purdue (26-6; No. 7 ESPN/USA Today; No. 8 Associated Press) had won three consecutive conference tournaments.
Consuegra shot 11-for-14 from the line. Randi Peterson had 20
points and nine rebounds, and Leah Magner added 10 points for the
Hawkeyes (20-9; No. 23 Associated Press).
"Cara was always in control of the game. She controlled the
tempo," first-year Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. "I think she is
playing the best basketball of her life."
Purdue seniors -- Katie Douglas, Shinika Parks, Candi Crawford,
Mo-nique Langston and Camille Cooper -- had never lost a game in the
tournament.
Douglas, the conference's player of the year for the second
consecutive season, had 23 points and shot 9-for-11 from the line.
Cooper had 14 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the floor.
Shalicia Hurns had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Purdue.
Every time Purdue appeared poised to take control of the game,
Iowa picked up a key basket or rebound, or forced a turnover.
"I think the disappointing part was there were so many loose
balls that didn't go our way," Purdue coach Kristy Curry
said.
The Hawkeyes, winners of six consecutive games and 12 of their last
13, wore down Purdue in the game's final moments as the
Boilermakers sent Consuegra to the foul line.
Purdue led 65-53 after Erika Valek hit a 3-pointer with 3:33
left. But Iowa scored eight consecutive points to take a 71-65
advantage with 24.2 seconds remaining.
Consuegra shot 7-for-8 from the line and accounted for the
Hawkeyes' last seven points.
Purdue led 33-30 at halftime.
Magner hit a 3-pointer with 12:28 left in the first half as Iowa
closed to a point, 14-13. Purdue then ran off eight consecutive points for a 22-13 lead at the 9:12 mark. Douglas scored six of her
11 first-half points during the run.
Iowa responded by scoring 10 consecutive points, four each from
Peterson and Beatrice Bullock, for a 23-22 lead with 5:34 remaining
in the half.
In the first period, Purdue shot 52 percent (13-for-25) from the
field, but only 45.5 percent (5-for-11) from the line.
Peterson had 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting and grabbed seven
rebounds in the half.
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
Iowa Clubhouse
Purdue Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Randi Peterson dishes to Jenny Lillis for an open layup.
avi: 689 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Shalicia Hurns hits a running jumper in the lane for a Purdue score.
avi: 492 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Randi Peterson takes a pass in the lane for an open layup.
avi: 704 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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