Nov. 4, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's basketball team delivered a strong performance in its first preseason exhibition game of the 2005-06 season. The Boilermakers handed the OGBM Legends, a team comprised of former basketball standouts from the state of Ohio, an 82-40 loss in Mackey Arena on Friday night.
Ten of the 11 Boilermakers who played scored. Juniors Erin Lawless and Katie Gearlds, the two leading scorers for Purdue a season ago, scored 13 points a piece to share game-high honors.
Also reaching double figures for Purdue were junior college transfer Cherelle George with 12 points, and freshman Danielle Campbell with 10.
Sophomore Natasha Bogdanova just missed a double-double, with nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Larecha Jones led OGBM with 12 points, all in the first half, but she made just 4 of 21 shots from the field; she was 2 for 11 from three-point range.
The two teams were tied 7-7 at the 14:37 mark of the first half before Purdue came to life. The Boilermakers blew the game open with a 15-0 run, bookended by three-pointers from reigning Indiana Miss Basketball Jodi Howell, a freshman, and senior Sharika Webb.
OGBM closed to within eight with one minute left in the half before going into intermission trailing 37-27.
When play resumed, the Boilermakers methodically increased their lead, and six minutes into the second half led 52-33. They outscored OGBM 30-7 over the final 13 minutes and 44 seconds.
Purdue shot 43.1 percent from the field, compared to 24.6 percent shooting for OGBM. The Boilermakers made 6 of 14 three-pointers, while OGBM connected on 6 of 24 shots from downtown.
Purdue outrebounded OGBM 55 to 32. The Boilermakers recorded eight blocked shots and 18 steals to compensate for 20 turnovers. OGBM turned the ball over 28 times.
The win for Purdue was its 24th straight and 30th overall in 33 preseason exhibition games in school history. Additionally, the victory kept seventh-year head coach Kristy Curry perfect (13-0) in preseason exhibition games during her Purdue career.
OGBM is now 0-3, with losses to Ball State, Cincinnati and Purdue. The Legends, whose two previous losses this season came by an average of eight points, are 0-4 all-time against Purdue.
Purdue will play its second and final exhibition game Thursday, Nov. 10, against the Hoosier All-Stars. The Boilermakers will start the official season Friday, Nov. 18, when they play host to Butler.
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