WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Despite a dominant display over the first 30 minutes, the Purdue women's basketball team came up short in the fourth quarter against Nebraska, falling 71-64 on Wednesday night at Mackey Arena.
The Boilermakers (12-6, 3-5) held a 56-48 lead after three periods of play, but Nebraska (12-7, 4-4) rallied in the fourth quarter to outscore Purdue 23-8 to pick up the road win.
Abbey Ellis tallied her second straight game with 20 or more points. The Australian international went for 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 4-of-7 from behind the arc and grabbed six rebounds.
Caitlyn Harper joined Ellis in double figures with a mark of 8-of-8 at the line to finish with 15 points. Jayla Smith added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Purdue shot 40% for the game and went 9-of-23 (39.1) from distance. The Boilermakers won the rebounding battle 33-31 and turned 11 offensive rebounds into 11 points. Jeanae Terry led the way on the glass with eight boards.
The Boilermakers jumped out to an 11-3 lead early in the first with nine combined points from Ellis and Harper. The Cornhuskers responded with a 16-5 run over the final 6:08 to take a 19-16 lead after the first. Ellis totaled 10 points in the opening 10 minutes.
In the second, Cassidy Hardin connected on a quick 3-pointer to pull the score level. Nebraska regained a four-point lead at 25-21 with 7:03 to play, but the Boilermakers held the visitors off the board for the next five minutes. Despite the dominant defense, including a block by Ellis, and solid rebounding in the frame, Purdue only managed to pull ahead by one at the break 31-30.
Harper scored eight of Purdue's first 14 points of the third quarter to build a nine-point advantage midway through the frame. The Boilermakers held Nebraska to just two made field goals over the first 6:33 of the third, but the Cornhuskers did not allow the gap to reach double digits.
In the fourth, the ball would not fall for the Boilermakers. Purdue went 3-of-12 from the field and 1-of-6 from behind the arc. Nebraska went 7-of-16 on field goal attempts and hit 7-of-9 free throws. Terry and Smith equally split Purdue's eight points in the final frame.
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Nebraska 10-8.
• With a pair of assists, Jeanae Terry reached 500 for her career. With 308 helpers as a Boilermaker, she ranks 18th in program history alongside Cindy Lamping (1992-95)
• Cassidy Hardin hit a pair of 3-pointers to move into a tie with Jodi Howell (2006-10) for sixth in Purdue history with 188 career triples.
• Ellis' 20-piece was her third of the season and fourth as a Boilermaker.
• Harper hit double figures for the 11th time this season.
• The Boilermakers have hit nine or more 3-pointers in six games this season.
UP NEXT
Purdue will close out its two-game homestand Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. tip against Minnesota on B1G+.