BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Purdue women's basketball team officially opened the Katie Gearlds Era with a win. The Boilermakers went on the road to beat Western Kentucky 79-69 to start the 2021-22 season.
Purdue (1-0) shot 50% and knocked down five triples in the second half to pull away with the 10-point victory. For the game, the Boilermakers went 22-of-28 at the line and connected on nine 3-pointers.
Abbey Ellis, in her first game as a Boilermaker, led the way with 17 points, including 9-of-10 at the charity stripe. Madison Layden added 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting with a team-high eight rebounds, while freshman Jayla Smith tacked on 11 points.
The Boilermakers flew out of the gates on an 11-0 run and built it into a 17-6 lead. Defensively, Purdue forced Western Kentucky (0-1) to just 1-of-10 on its opening field goal attempts. Ellis connected on a pair of early triples to give Purdue a 20-14 lead after the first.
Western Kentucky took advantage of Purdue foul trouble and nine turnovers in the second to pull within two at the break, 33-31. Mide Oriyomi tallied four points on four free throws in the frame.
Purdue shot 34.8% from the field and made four 3-pointers over the opening 20 minutes and made 13 of 17 free throws.
Layden and Brooke Moore broke the game open late in the third quarter, knocking down 3-pointers on three straight trips down the floor. Moore finished with nine points in 14 minutes.
The Boilermakers grew their lead to 17 after a 10-3 run to start the fourth quarter and put the game out of reach.
Purdue won the rebounding battle 42-33 and turned 14 offensive rebounds into 19 points. Rickie Woltman finished second on the team with seven rebounds, matching her career high from last season.
NEW FACES
Five Boilermakers made their debut Wednesday night. Ellis' 17 points came off 3-of-6 from the field with two 3-pointers and nine free throws, one shy of her career high. Jeanae Terry tallied five points and five rebounds, while fellow transfer Mide Oriyomi added nine points, six boards and two assists. Oriyomi converted a traditional 3-point play to stifle a Western Kentucky comeback. Jayla Smith was 5-of-10 from the field and recorded four steals. Ava Learn checked in at the end of the first half to stymie an attempt to tie the game on last second shot.
QUOTE
Head coach Katie Gearlds …
Gutsy win on the road. We weren't great, but we found a way to win. At the end of the day, that's what matters. First win on the road with six new kids and we've been together for seven weeks, there's going to be a time when we can't use that excuse anymore, but we'll take the win and head back home.
NOTES
• The all-time series with Western Kentucky is now tied at 2-2.
• Madison Layden moved into a tie with Katie Gearlds for the second longest 3-point streak in program history, recording a triple in her 22nd straight game. Ashley Morrrissette holds the title with 25 games.
• Purdue head coaches are 9-0 all-time in their first games coaching.
• The Boilermakers forced 21 Western Kentucky turnovers that flipped into 30 points. Six differ
• Six different Boilermakers dished out an assist, led by Madison Layden's five.
• The Boilermakers made 22 free throws and nine 3-pointers in a game for just the second time in the last 12 years.
• Smith's 11 points marked the second straight year a Boilermaker rookie hit double figures in the season opener, following Ra Shaya Kyle's 19 against North Alabama last in 2020.
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• Purdue is now 40-7 in season openers, including the last five straight.
UP NEXT
Purdue will make is home debut at Mackey Arena on Sunday against Western Michigan. The game will tip at 2:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.