WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Committing the second fewest turnovers in program history was not enough to overcome a slow shooting night, as the Purdue women’s basketball team dropped an 85-82 overtime decision to Penn State on Wednesday night in Mackey Arena.
The Boilermakers (11-12, 3-9) trailed by five with 27 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. Kiki Smith knocked down a 3-pointer with 20 seconds to go to make it a two-point game. After Penn State (8-15, 1-11) split a pair of free throws, Nya Smith drained a game-tying effort with 0.4 seconds on the clock.
In the extra period, Purdue took a 78-77 lead with 2:39 to play. On the ensuing possession, Purdue deflected an entry pass into the post, only for the ball to bounce to Moriah Murray in the corner to hit a three that Put the Lady Lions up for good. Down three with under 15 seconds to play, the Boilermakers had two good looks from deep to tie the game but came up short.
The game featured 14 lead changes, 13 ties, and the largest lead was five points by both clubs.
Purdue shot 37.2% (29-78) from the field on the night and went 5-of-26 from deep. The Boilermakers attempted 26 more shots than the Lady Lions, who shot 51.9% (27-52) for the game, while connecting nine times from behind the arc.
The Boilermakers were led by Kiki Smith’s career-high 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers and 8-of-9 at the line. Smith added seven rebounds, one assist and three steals in a career-high 40 minutes of action.
Tara Daye narrowly missed out on her sixth double-double of the year, going for 21 points, seven rebounds with four assists, one steal and matching her career high with two blocks. Kendall Puryear finished in double figures for the second straight game and sixth time this season with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Penn State was led by Kiyomi McMiller’s 30 points, while center Gracie Merkle tallied a 19-point, 20-rebound double-double.
KEY MOMENTS
• Kiki Smith hit a couple of mid-range shots early for Purdue went 2-for-11 to start.
• Penn State connected on a pair of 3-pointers to hold an 18-15 lead after the first. Purdue was 7-of-21 in the opening 10 minutes to Penn State’s 7-of-14.
• Smith powered Purdue’s five-point run to start the first 1:09 of the second to take a 20-18 lead.
• Tara Daye picked up six points and a block in the second to help the Boilermakers take a 30-25 lead midway through the frame.
• Madison Layden-Zay converted a pair of mid-range jumpers, as Penn State closed the half on a 11-4 run to hold a 36-34 advantage at the break.
• Purdue shot 37,8% from the floor and went 3-of-15 from distance in the first half, while committing just two turnovers. Penn State shot 44.8% from the field and 3-of-7 from three.
• While the shooting struggles continued into the third, Purdue went 8-of-10 at the line in the frame.
• Penn State built up a five-point lead at 47-22, before Kendall Puryear and Kiki Smith combined to Purdue’s final 10 points of the third.
• Smith sank a pair of free throws with less than a second to play to put Purdue ahead 52-50 going to the fourth.
• After Penn State took a 64-59 lead with 4:25 to play in the fourth, Daye, Kiki Smith and Lana McCarthy powered a six-point run to put Purdue ahead 65-64.
• Kiki Smith scored Purdue’s next six points to set up Nya Smith’s game-tying triple.
• Purdue went 2-of-9 from the floor in the extra frame and 0-of-3 from distance. The Boilermakers had five second chance opportunities and committed their lone turnover of the frame on a shot clock violation.
• Both of Penn State’s field goals were 3-pointers in the fourth, as the Lady Lions went 5-of-6 at the line.
NOTES
• The Boilermakers are now 3-2 in overtime games under Katie Gearlds.
• Purdue is now 67-11 since 2021-22 when taking a lead into the fourth quarter.
• Thursday was just the second time in the last 30 years a Big Ten team dropped a conference matchup when committing four or fewer turnovers, joining Minnesota in 2023-24 against Nebraska.
• Thursday was the first time Purdue had dropped a game with 26 or more field goals attempted than an opponent since losing 83-82 at UC Stanta Barbara on Dec. 17, 2002.
• With three steals, Madison Layden-Zay topped 200 for her career. The fifth year is now the second player in Big Ten history, alongside Caitlin Clark to amass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, 200 steals, 200 3-pointers and 50 blocks in a career.
• Purdue has scored 80 or more points in eight games this season, fourth most by a Boilermaker squad this century.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will need to rebound to face Indiana in Bloomington on Sunday at 2 p.m. on B1G+. Purdue will go for its first season sweep of the Hoosiers since 2012.