Purdue Women Overcome Deficit to Win
written by: Steven Stremming/Excel H Sports/USBWA
photos by: Greg Flint/Excel H Sports/Flint Photography
The Purdue women’s basketball team took a big step against the Northwestern Wildcats with a victory 75 to 60.
Purdue desperate to claim wins and become eligible for the upcoming B1G Ten tournament.
Purdue came into the game in a fight to move out of the bottom three (Purdue, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Northwestern and Penn State) and move on to participation in the B1G Ten tourney.
Purdue overcame a first period deficit (19-15) with a 18 to 12 second period margin which gave them a 35 to 31 lead they would not relinquish.
Purdue outscored Northwestern in the second half 40 to 29 to claim the win.
Purdue was led by Rashunda Jones 14 points on five of ten shooting from the floor and four of four from the line and handing out a team and game high seven (7) assists.
Kendall Puryear 14 points on seven of nine shooting and five rebounds along with Sophie Swanson 14 points on six of sixteen shooting and hauling in five rebounds.
Ella Collier added 13 points on five of eleven from the field and also collecting five rebounds.
Northwestern was led by Taylor Williams who scored 17 points on seven of ten field goals from the field along with 16 rebounds and five steals.
Caroline Lau scored 12 points and Calleigh Walsh scored nine points.
Grace Johnson scored 10 points off the bench.
Purdue was 30 of 61 from the field (49.2%), six of seventeen from behind the arc (35.3%), nine of eleven free throws (81.8%)
The following is courtesy of Purdue University Athletics
The Purdue women’s basketball team put four players in double figures to roll past Northwestern 75-60 on Wednesday night, picking up its second straight win at Mackey Arena.
The Boilermakers (9-15, 2-11) had a trio of underclassmen tally 14 points. Freshman Kendall Puryear notched a double-digit performance for the sixth time in the last seven games, going for 14 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting with five rebounds and a pair of blocks.
Sophomores Rashunda Jones and Sophie Swanson both recorded their fourth straight game in double figures. Jones finished with 14 points and matched her career high with seven assists. Swanson went for 14 points with a pair of 3-pointers and a career-high five rebounds.
Fifth year Ella Collier joined the trio in double figures with 13 points, including a pair of triples.
The Boilermakers nearly shot 50% for the third time in the last three games, posting a 49.2% clip from the field with six 3-pointers.
Purdue capitalized 17 points off 13 Northwestern (8-15, 1-11) miscues. Eight Boilermakers recorded a steal. After two swipes against the Wildcats, Destini Lombard is now up to a team-high 51 steals this season.
Four Boilermakers finished with five rebounds – Reagan Bass, Collier, Puryear and Swanson. The Wildcats grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, but the Boilermakers allowed just two points off second chances.
KEY MOMENTS
• Jones and Puryear gave Purdue a pair of early baskets, as Northwestern opened the game on a 10-4 run.
• Swanson scored five straight for the Boilermakers off the bench to start a 9-0 run that put Purdue ahead 13-10.
• The Wildcats countered with a 9-2 run over the final 3:37 that gave the visitors a 19-15 after the first.
• Purdue opened the second with a quick five-point swing to take a 20-19 lead.
• After Northwestern regained a three-point lead with 5:50 to play in the half, the Boilermakers rolled off a 12-2 swing to open a 35-28 advantage.
• Jones paced the Boilermakers in the first half with nine points, while Puryear added eight points, to give Purdue a 35-31 lead at the break.
• Purdue shot 47% from the field over the opening 20 minutes and turned seven Northwestern turnovers into 11 points.
• The Boilermakers came out of the gates hot in the third quarter on a 10-0 run with five points from Ella Collier.
• Lombard’s lone 3-pointer of the night with 4:12 on the clock in the third opened a 15-point advantage.
• Collier paced Purdue in the third with seven points, while the defense held Northwestern to 4-of-15 shooting and just eight points.
• The Boilermakers poured it on in the fourth with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting, led by Swanson’s seven points. Puryear was 3-for-3 from the field in the final frame.
• The Boilermakers never let their advantage get smaller than eight points in the fourth.
• Purdue closed the game out hitting six of their final eight shots.
NOTES
• Purdue now leads the all-time series with Northwestern 55-26 with their fifth straight victory.
• The five-game run matches Purdue’s longest active streak against a Big Ten team with five games against Wisconsin
• Purdue’s bench made an impact on the night, outscoring Northwestern’s second unit 31-19.
• The Boilermakers spread the ball around with eight of the nine dressed players scoring on the night.
• Purdue improved to 27-9 under head coach Katie when four or more players finish in double figures.
• The freshmen post tandem of Puryear and Lana McCarthy powered Purdue to 44 points in the paint, the Boilermakers’ highest tally since the win over Indiana State.
• Bass crossed the 800-rebound plateau on Wednesday night.
• Lombard played her 125th career game.
UP NEXT
Purdue will head to Indiana for the Barn Burner Trophy Game on Saturday with a noon tip on BTN.
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