Dec. 29, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Aya Traore scored 18 points to lead No. 18 Purdue to a 77-57 victory over Wisconsin on Thursday night in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
Five others scored in double figures for the Boilermakers (9-2), who pulled away by shooting 64 percent from the field in the second half.
Ashley Josephson led Wisconsin (5-7) with 13 points.
Purdue led 31-22 at halftime, but Wisconsin made four 3-pointers early in the second half to get within 37-34. Purdue made its next five field goals to take a 48-38 lead and force a timeout by Wisconsin with 11:19 left. The Boilermakers never led by less than nine points the rest of the way.
Purdue took an 18-2 lead before the Badgers went on an 11-0 run. Jodi Howell's 3-pointer gave the Boilermakers a 29-22 lead. Wisconsin's Akiya Alexander drove to the hoop in the closing seconds of the first half but Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton swatted her shot away, leading to a basket by Traore that gave Purdue the nine-point halftime lead.
Purdue didn't commit a foul in the second half until 4:48 remained. The Boilermakers outscored the Badgers 20-4 from the free throw line.