WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A big fourth quarter propelled the Purdue women's basketball team to a 64-51 win over Illinois State on Sunday afternoon at Mackey Arena. All eight Boilermakers who saw minutes on the floor scored five or more points, as Purdue improved to 9-2 on the year.
For the second straight game and the seventh time this season, Purdue shot above 50% from the field with a 51.1% clip on the afternoon. The Boilermakers posted a blistering 65.2% shooting percentage over the final 20 minutes.
Lasha Petree paced Purdue with her 11th straight game in double figures. The fifth-year senior tallied 14 points, including a perfect 5-of-5 mark at the line. Purdue was efficient with a 12-of-13 mark at the line. Petree went 5-of-5, while Abbey Ellis and Ava Learn both were a perfect 3-of-3.
Terry finished the afternoon with another 5-5-5 game with nine points, seven rebounds and six assists. Ellis, in her first start of the season, went for nine points, seven boards and three dimes.
Purdue flipped 14 Illinois State (6-3) turnovers into matching 14 points, while holding the Redbirds to just 10 points off 18 Boilermaker miscues.
The Redbirds were paced by Paige Robinson's game-high 21 points. Guard Mary Crompton came into the game ranked 13th in the nation at 20.8 points per game. On Sunday, the Boilermaker defense held her to just eight points. Illinois State shot just 29.3% (17-58) from the field, the lowest by an opponent since 2020 against Michigan State.
Both clubs struggled shooting to start the game, both opening 4-for-10. Jeanae Terry provided an early spark with nine points in the first half. Purdue's lead only grew to as many as four early in the second, before the Redbirds rolled off a seven-point run which put the visitors ahead by four.
From there, Ava Learn connected on a mid-range jumper, before Terry and Rickie Woltman tallied baskets on Purdue's final two trips down the floor in the half. The 6-0 run put the Boilermakers ahead 25-23 at the break.
The Boilermakers started to find their rhythm in the third, shooting 6-of-9 in the frame. Petree and Jayla Smith both tallied five points. The pair sank 3-pointers on back-to-back trips down the floor to give Purdue a six-point lead midway through the period. Smith sank a stepback jumper as time expired to put the Boilermakers ahead 41-37 going into the fourth.
Purdue put the game away in the fourth quarter outscoring the Redbirds 23-14. Cassidy Hardin and Smith both knocked down a 3-pointer early in the period to open a six-point gap. Learn, Petree and Ellis all converted on traditional 3-point plays to spark a 13-4 run that saw Purdue open a 62-47 lead with two minutes to play.
SPREADING THE SCORING
With Petree as the lone Boilermaker in double figures, Purdue was held to its lowest scoring output this season. Despite the limited points, all eight players scored five or more points. In addition to Petree's 14, Abbey Ellis and Jeanae Terry went for nine points, Jayla Smith chipped in eight off the bench, Ava Learn added seven, Caitlyn Harper and Rickie Woltman notched six points each on a combined 6-of-7 shooting, and Cassidy Hardin tallied five.
NOTES
• With the win, Purdue evened up the all-time series at 5-5.
• At 9-2, the Boilermakers are off to their best start since the 2015-16 season.
• Sunday's attendance was 3,429, the fourth largest at Mackey Arena under Katie Gearlds.
• The Boilermakers notched 32 points in the paint, their eighth game with more than 30.
• Purdue finished the afternoon just 4-of-14 from behind the arc. Smith knocked down a pair of triples.
• Terry and Ellis both finished with a plus-minus in double figures with 15 and 12, respectively.
• Ellis' 36 minutes of action were a season high.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will play just twice between now and the end of the calendar year. After withdrawing from the Las Vegas Invitational, Purdue will travel to Texas A&M on Dec. 21 for a 2 p.m. tip.