The Purdue Boilmakers rallied from a nine point deficit early in the third quarter on Wednesday night, outscoring Maine 31-16 overall in the second half en route to a 60-51 non-conference women’s basketball win at Mackey Arena on Keady Court in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Maine shot just 3-15 (1-8 three-pointers) in the first quarter, as Purdue gained early momentum leading by as many as 11 and 17-8 after the opening 10 minutes. The Black Bears came to life in the second to turn the game in their favor. Still trailing by nine at 22-13 three minutes into the period, the guests went on a 13-4 run to tie up at 26-26. Sarah Talon and Caroline Bornemann each had a three-pointer, while layups by Bornemann and Asta Blauenfeldt knotted the score. In the final 1:18 of the first half Talon would convert a three-point play, Caroline Dotsey hit a three-pointer, and after a Purdue turnover in the final seconds Blauenfeldt also dialed one up from long distance for a 35-29 Maine advantage with a 9-0 spurt after the Boilmakers had gained a three point edge. The Black Bears shot 71.4% from the floor in the quarter (6-9 three-pointers) to jump ahead for the first time.
After Blauenfeldt got Maine off to a good second half start with a three-pointer to open the third quarter for their biggest lead of nine, the cold shooting would return at a inopportune time as they went 2 for their next 13 and 0-7 from three-point territory after that Blauenfeldt shot. Purdue would go on a 12-0 run to take the lead for good at 41-38, capped off by a steal and fastbreak three-point play by Amiyah Reynolds. The Boilmakers never let the Black Bears closer than three the rest of the way, matching their biggest lead of 11 late in the fourth quarter.
Bornemann, Blauenfeldt, and Dotsey each put in 13 points in the Maine loss. Dotsey had six rebounds, while Bornemann and Blauenfeldt had three boards each. Talon chipped in seven points. The second half really hurt the Black Bears chance to win, shooting 6-25 over the last 20 minutes that included 1-14 from three-point range. They finished at 35% for the game as a team. Reagan Bass had a game-high 20 points and six rebounds in the win for Purdue out of the Big 10 Conference. Destini Lombard added 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Ella Collier recorded 11 points. The Boilmakers are now 5-3 on the season. Maine has lost two straight games to drop to 3-6, and will finish off their four game road trip in Philadelphia next Monday night at 7 p.m. against Saint Joseph’s University out of the Atlantic 10.
Maine guard Sera Hodgson looks to inbound the ball during a loss on November 24 against Quinnipiac at the Pit on Skip Chappelle Court in Orono. The Black Bears dropped their second straight game on Wednesday night, falling 60-51 at Purdue. Photo by Chris Lessner
