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Catching on

Catchings lifts Illinois over Louisville in final seconds

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Posted: Friday March 12, 1999 09:47 PM

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Tauja Catchings driving basket with 1.7 seconds left lifted seventh-seeded Illinois past Louisville 69-67 in the first round of the women's NCAA tournament Mideast Regional on Friday.

The Fighting Illini (19-11) trailed 51-41 with 11 minutes to go. But Susan Blauser scored 17 of her 26 points in the second half to fuel the comeback.

Blauser scored six straight points as Illinois took the lead 67-66 with 1:15 left.

Jill Morton tied it for Louisville (21-11), the 10th seed, on a foul shot with 9.6 seconds to go.

As she did in Illinois' 77-75 Big Ten Tournament victory over Penn State on Feb. 28, Catchings took an inbound pass and calmly glided in for the winning basket.

A desperation heave by Jenny Knight fell short, sending Illinois into the second round for the third straight season.

Catchings, the older sister of Tennessee's Tamika Catchings, had struggled from the field, going 1-of-9 before her winning shot. She finished with 11 points.

Allison Curtin added 21 for the Illini.

Sharon Bellamy scored 20 points and Morton 18 for Louisville, which did not make a field goal in the final 6:26.