Jan. 29, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Aya Traore scored 18 points and No. 8 Purdue survived an error-filled first half to beat Northwestern 71-63 on Sunday for their 13th straight win.
Katie Gearlds also scored 17 for the Boilermakers (17-2, 9-0 Big Ten), who have won 15 consecutive games against the Wildcats. The Boilermakers committed 21 turnovers, including 15 in the first half when Northwestern (5-15, 1-8) cut an 11-point deficit to two by repeatedly scoring off the Purdue mistakes.
The Wildcats tied the game for the first time on a basket by A.J. Glasauer at the start of the second half, and there was one more tie before a 3-pointer by Gearlds, two free throws by Traore and a rebound basket by Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton put the Boilermakers in front for good.
Purdue took a 56-47 lead on another 3-pointer by Gearlds and its biggest lead at 65-49 on her third 3-point basket minutes later. Northwestern cut the lead to 10 with just over a minute to go and Glasauer scored the final basket with 3 seconds left.
Glasauer matched her career high with 26 points, while Ifeoma Okonkwo added 17 for the Wildcats. Wisdom-Hylton finished with 16 points for Purdue.
The Boilermakers never trailed but couldn't take control because of their repeated turnovers.
A pair of 3-pointers by Cherelle George and a basket by Traore gave Purdue a 25-14 lead, its biggest of the first half, but the Boilermakers had five turnovers on their final six possessions of the period. Northwestern took advantage of the errors, cutting the lead to 27-23 on a 3-pointer by Sara Stutz.
After another Purdue turnover, Northwestern made it 27-25 at halftime with a basket by Melissa Miller.