Feb. 17, 2011
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Boilermakers picked up a road win, knocking off Minnesota 60-50 to move to 18-9 on the season and 8-6 in the conference. Brittany Rayburn led Purdue with a game-high 27 points while Drey Mingo recorded her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Minnesota took the lead with 5:55 to play but Rayburn answered immediately with a three-pointer on an assist by Chelsea Jones to pull back ahead 50-48. The Gophers would tie it up at 4:28 but would get no closer as Courtney Moses hit two free throws, Poston hit a jumper and the Boilermakers hit six of their seven free throw attempts in the final minute to push the final margin to the largest of the game at 10 points.
The game was tight throughout with nine lead changes and seven ties. Purdue took a 31-30 lead into the locker room behind 10 points each by Rayburn and Mingo and eight points by Antionette Howard.
Purdue turned the ball over eight times in the first period, but settled down to commit just five miscues in the second half. Defense was once again key for the Boilermakers as they blocked a season-high 10 shots, including a career-high four by Alex Guyton. Purdue also held Minnesota to 28.6 percent from the floor and did not allow the Gophers to hit a three-pointer, the first time the Boilermakers have shut out a team from long range this season.
Courtney Moses missed all eight of her attempts from the field, but dished out five assists and hit all four of her free throw attempts, all in the final four minutes of the contest.
The Boilermakers will play their final home game on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET against Ohio State. The game is the Pink Zone for breast cancer awareness and fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game which will be broadcast live on ESPN2. The men play Ohio State at 1 p.m. ET and fans with a men's basketball ticket stub can get into the women's game for $2.