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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In a back-and-forth tilt that featured four three ties and four lead changes, the Purdue women's basketball team could not stop a late surge in a 72-59 loss to Minnesota on Sunday afternoon at Mackey Arena.
The Boilermakers (12-7, 3-4) had to overcome a slow start out of the gate, as the Golden Gophers (12-6, 2-5) built up a 16-4 lead. Purdue rallied to close the first quarter on an 11-point run with seven from Dominique Oden.
Both clubs traded blows in the second quarter, with Minnesota taking a four-point edge into the halftime break. Ae'Rianna Harris and Karissa McLaughlin teamed up nine points on a 10-2 run midway through the third that saw the Boilermakers tie it up at 43-43, only for the Golden Gophers to take control.
The deciding point in the game came with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter, Minnesota opened a 19-0 run that held the Boilermakers off the board for 5:49. During the stretch, Purdue was 0-for-8 from the field.
Purdue battled back in the fourth. Oden scored 10 of her team-high 17 points in the final frame. The hosts attempted to rally with a 10-2 run, which cut the gap down to 12, but that was as close as the Boilermakers would get.
Harris and McLaughlin followed Oden in double figures with 15 and 10, respectively. McLaughlin added a season-high seven assists. Purdue connected on six 3-pointers, with McLaughlin, Oden and Cassidy Hardin each hitting a pair.
ANOTHER RECORD FOR RI
On Purdue's first possession after the halftime break, Harris grabbed her fourth rebound of the afternoon. With that offensive board, Harris took over the top spot on Purdue's all-time rebounding list. The senior surpassed Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton's mark of 968 career rebounds, after taking over the defensive rebounds record a few weeks ago against Wisconsin. Harris now holds the career rebound, defensive rebound and blocks title at Purdue.
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series against Minnesota 46-22, with a 24-8 mark at Mackey Arena.
• The Boilermakers have dropped the last three contests at Mackey Arena against the Golden Gophers.
• Oden took over 13th place on Purdue's career scoring list, passing Sharon Versyp's career mark of 1,565.
• Harris recorded seven blocks on the afternoon, tied for seventh in program history. The senior now has 446 in her career, four away from breaking Joe Barry Carroll's all-time record of 349 career rejections.
• Harris recorded at least five blocks in a game for the 17th time in her career.
• The 19-point swing by the Golden Gophers was the largest Purdue has allowed this season.
• Purdue topped Minnesota in points off turnovers 21-18.
UP NEXT
Purdue will travel to Nebraska for a short turnaround Wednesday night. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. (ET) on BTN+.
LACE UP FOUNDATION
Ahead of the Boilermakers' Feb. 9 game against Iowa for the Beat Cancer Pinkout, the Boilermakers are raising money for the Lace Up Foundation. Purdue will sport GOLD laces on their shoes to show its support for pediatric cancer research. All proceeds of this fundraiser will go to local Indiana hospitals. Click here to donate and make a difference in a child's life.
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