WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue women's basketball team stayed perfect on the year with a 70-61 win over Samford on Sunday at Mackey Arena. Now 4-0, Purdue is off to its best start since 2022-23.
Purdue held a double-digit lead throughout much of the second half, before Samford (2-3) connected on five late 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to trim the gap to nine points at the end.
The Boilermakers were led by Hannah Wickstrom's first double-double at Purdue with 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Wickstrom has finished in double figures in all four games this season with a trio of 20-point performances.
Wickstrom is seven points shy of reaching 1,000 points for her career.
Taylor Henderson finished in double figures for the second straight game. The Charlotte, N.C., native totaled 15 points with seven rebounds and four assists. Jelena Bulajić nearly posted her career first double-double with a career-high nine rebounds to go with 11 points, three assists and three steals.
Purdue jumped ahead in the first half to a 17-point lead behind a 45.5% shooting clip with a trio of 3-pointers. In the second half, the Boilermakers cooled off to 30% from the field. Samford shot 38.3% for the game and 9-of-31 (29%) from distance.
The Boilermakers won the rebounding battle 44-31. Purdue flipped 11 offensive rebounds into 18 points, including nine points on three boards in the first half. Samford managed just one point on four second-chance opportunities.
KEY MOMENTS
• Henderson and Bulajić got the Boilermakers off to a fast start, combining to five Purdue an 8-2 lead in the opening two minutes.
• Samford countered with back-to-back 3-pointers to stay within two possessions, before the hosts scored seven of the final nine points of the opening frame to lead 20-12.
• Anjela Minja recorded her first basket as a Boilermaker to start the second, before Purdue rolled off an 11-2 run to build the gap to 17 points.
• Purdue held Samford to just nine points in the second to carry a 36-21 lead into the break.
• The Bulldogs chipped the gap down to 10 points with 2:56 to play in the third, before Purdue punched back with a 7-1 run to lead 49-33 with one quarter to play.
• Samford opened the fourth with 10 straight points, but the Boilermakers rolled off seven straight points, capped by Henderson’s second 3-pointer of the afternoon.
• Wickstrom made a layup through contact to put Purdue up 13 with 2:49 to play. The Boilermakers weathered a late Samford onslaught, as the visitors hit four 3-pointers over the final 2:23 to chip the gap to five.
• The Boilermakers were 12-of-14 from the line in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
NOTES
• Purdue is now 161-58 in first time matchups with opponents.
• The Boilermakers have scored 70 or more points in the first four games of a season for the first time since 2022-23.
• Purdue held the lead for 38:20 of the game.
• Averi Aaron dropped an all-around performance with eight points and six rebounds with one assist and two steals.
• For the second straight game, Kyndall Hunter set a career high with six assists.
• Wickstrom has scored in double figures 43 times in her career with 25 20-point outings. She has nine double-doubles.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will hit the road for the first time this season for the WBCA Showcase in Orlando, Fla. Purdue will play Florida State on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. on ESPNU, before a 2:30 p.m. tilt on Saturday against Texas Tech on ESPN+. Both games will be played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World.