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State, women win in any outcome

By ANTONYA ENGLISH

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 2001

ST. LOUIS -- The all-Indiana final is the first in NCAA history, and it's an even bigger deal to the six players who are Indiana natives.

It's stirring up lots of talk about the movie Hoosiers and the love of basketball in Indiana.

Notre Dame center Ruth Riley and Purdue players Kelly Komara, Candi Crawford, Katie Douglas, Shalicia Hurns and Mary Jo Noon all hail from the basketball-crazed state. And they are feeling a duty to let the nation know that Indiana basketball isn't just about Larry Bird and men's basketball.

"I couldn't think of a more fitting way, honestly, to end my career than playing Purdue in the national championship," Riley said. "Growing up, Hoosiers was my favorite movie, and I think I was stereotypical of that. Everyone around me would always play pickup. I think this shows how far women's basketball has come in the state of Indiana and the growth that has occurred over the years." "I think it is a tremendous compliment to the state of Indiana," Komara said. "Indiana basketball has always had a great tradition."

RILEY'S RECORDS: Riley needs six rebounds to break the school record for career rebounds and become the first player in Notre Dame history with 1,000. With her five blocks against Connecticut on Friday night, Riley set a school record for a season with 106.

COME ON BACK: Officials in St. Louis expect to find out next week if the city is a finalist to host another women's Final Four. St. Louis is competing with nine cities for the 2006 Final Four, which could be held at the Savvis Center, home of the Saint Louis Billikens and the NHL's Blues, or the Trans World Dome.

The NCAA women's basketball committee will decide sites for 2005, 2006 and 2007 this summer and will hear presentations from the finalists at its meetings in July. Other cities in contention are Boston, Philadelphia, Memphis, Kansas City, Phoenix and Detroit.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "My heart was in my throat, I had knots in my stomach. I didn't want to move. I was sort of paralyzed on the sideline, wanting to run out to comfort her, but not wanting to, hoping she would get up and play. And when I saw it wasn't her knee, it was definitely a sigh of relief." -- Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw on her feelings when senior Niele Ivey went down with an injury with 5:47 remaining Friday against UConn.

QUOTE OF THE DAY, II: "I just bought Hoosiers on DVD. It's my favorite movie, behind Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." -- Purdue guard and Indiana native Komara.

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