MALONE TO MISS FOUR TO SIX WEEKS WITH INJURY

For Immediate Release  --  purduesports.com January 3, 2009   WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue junior point guard FahKara Malone will miss four to six weeks after suffering an open dislocation of the ring finger on her right hand during overtime of the Michigan State game on Jan. 1.   "She had surgery the evening right after it happened," head coach Sharon Versyp said. "It was an open wound disclocation, so they went in, did their job and got it back in place. She has a cast on her hand but only for a week to make sure it stays in place. FahKara will be out about four to six weeks but we will get her back (this season) at some point. It just depends on how quickly she heals."   The injury occurred with 2:42 remaining in overtime against Michigan State with the score tied at 61-61. Malone was going for a loose ball in the paint in traffic. The Spartans would go on to win 68-62 in Mackey Arena.   Malone, a native of Evansville, Ind., has played in 83 games as a Boilermaker and has started all but three. She is averaging a team-high 4.8 assists and 2.6 steals per game to go along with her 7.9 points per game this season. The 5-foot-3 guard is a two-time All-Big Ten defensive team member and was named Big Ten co-Player of the Week on Nov. 25. She holds eighth place in the Purdue record books for career steals with 227, she is in 11th for assists with 334 and 11th for career three-pointers with 94.   Purdue senior Lauren Mioton is expected to take over point guard duties in Malone's absence, but sophomore Michelle Clark, freshman Brittany Rayburn and even senior wing player Lakisha Freeman could see some minutes at the point.   -  P -