WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team scored 50 points and shot 61.3% from the field in the second half to pull away to an 83-56 win over Valparaiso at Mackey Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Boilermakers extended their winning streak to three in a row and moved to 5-3 on the year.
https://purduesports.com/documents/2023/12/3/2323896.PDF
After leading by eight at halftime, Purdue used two separate 11-point runs in the third and fourth to maintain a perfect 4-0 record at Mackey Arena this season.
The freshman duo of Mary Ashley Stevenson and Rashunda Jones led the Boilermakers in scoring and on the glass. Stevenson posted her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting in 26 minutes on the floor. Jones topped 20 points for the second time this season, finishing with 22 points on 6-of-9 from the field and a perfect 8-of-8 at the line.
Jones’ teammate from South Bend Mila Reynolds had a career day off the bench. Reynolds tallied a career-high six points and five rebounds in 16 minutes of work.
Abbey Ellis extended her streak of games in double figures to eight with an 11-point outing, while Madison Layden hit a pair of 3-pointers to finish with 10 points.
The Boilermakers shot 8-of-24 from behind the arc with a 6-of-13 mark in the second half. Purdue drew 22 points and was an effective 19-of-24 on free throws. Jeanae Terry and Jones evenly split eight assists, as Purdue recorded 20 helpers on 28 made field goals. Freshman Emily Monson also dished out a career-best four assists.
The Boilermakers had to work through some shooting struggles over the opening 20 minutes, going 9-of-26 from the field and just 2-of-11 from distance.
After a slow start on the offensive end, Purdue made the most of its trips to the line in the opening 10 minutes. The Boilermakers went 9-of-10 in the frame and closed the quarter on a 12-2 run with eight points coming at the stripe. Reynold scored all six of her points in the first.
Jones gave the Boilermakers a spark in the second with seven points. After Valparaiso closed to within three midway through the period, Jones tallied seven of Purdue’s final 10 points, including the team’s first triple of the game.
Purdue quickly extended the lead to double figures with an 11-0 stretch early in the third. Stevenson and Jones accounted for nine points during the run. The Boilermakers generated nine points off six Valpo turnovers. The Beacons managed to make just four field goals, as Purdue won the frame 21-13.
The offense carried the momentum into the fourth. Purdue was 12-of-18 and made five 3-pointers to record 29 points. Freshmen Sophie Swanson and Emily Monson combined for 11 points in the period.
FRESHMAN NOTABLES
• The freshman class set a season high with a combined 47 points.
• Stevenson’s double-double was the first by a Purdue rookie since Karissa McLaughlin’s 10 points and 11 assists against Penn State on Jan. 28, 2018.
• Stevenson had Purdue’s first points-rebounds double-double by a freshman since Sam Ostarello’s 17 points, 14 rebounds against Evanson on Dec. 19, 2009.
• Jones’ 22 points were the most by a freshman at Purdue since Dominque McBride scored 22 against Minnesota on Jan. 14, 2016.
• Jones is the first Purdue freshman to reach 20 points twice since Karissa McLaughlin in 2017-18.
• Jones is the first Purdue freshman to finish perfect at the free throw line with at least eight attempts since KK Houser was 13-of-13 against Penn State on Jan. 28, 2010.
• Sophie Swanson connected on a pair of 3-pointers to finish with eight points and hauled down three rebounds in eight minutes of playing time.
• Emily Monson hit her second triple of the season.
• McKenna Layden finished with a plus-minus of 13 after playing 18 minutes with three rebounds and an assist.
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Valpo 12-2.
• Ten of Purdue’s 11 players recorded an assist.
• Purdue held its sixth opponent to 60 points or less this season.
• The Boilermakers won the rebounding battle 46-25. The plus-21 margin was the largest by Purdue since its overtime win at Michigan State last season.
• Purdue did not surrender a second chance point.
• The Boilermakers improved to 27-9 under head coach Katie Gearlds when scoring 30 or more points in the paint, recording 32 on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Purdue will face Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday night at Mackey Arena. The 7 p.m. tip will be Boilermakers’ final non-conference test before heading to Minnesota next Sunday for the Big Ten opener.
The 2023-24 Purdue women’s basketball season is presented by Purdue Global, Purdue University’s online educational solution for working adults.
FOLLOW THE BOILERMAKERS
Stay up to date on all the latest scores, stats and stories surrounding Purdue women’s basketball this season by following the team on Twitter (@PurdueWBB), Instagram (@PurdueWBB) and Facebook (/PurdueWBB).
