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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Senior April Wilson scored 20 of her game-high 22 points in the second half to lead the sixth-seeded Purdue women's basketball team to a 70-59 Big Ten Tournament second-round victory over Penn State at Bankers Life Arena on Thursday night. The Boilermakers advance to the quarterfinals, where they'll meet third-seeded Michigan State at approximately 9 p.m. ET on Friday.
The Boilermakers had to overcome their worst first quarter of the season Thursday night, hitting just three of their first 18 attempts from the field (.167) to trail the Lady Lions, 15-6, after the first 10 minutes of play. The lead bumped to 17-6 in the opening minute of the second quarter, but Purdue finally hit its stride and went on a 17-3 run over the next six minutes to take a 23-20 advantage with 2:25 left in the quarter. The contributions came from six different Boilermakers during the run, including the first two makes from junior Ashley Morrissette, who finished the first half tied for the team lead with five points. Penn State snapped a five-minute field goal drought with 2:05 left until the half, but Boilermaker senior Hayden Hamby scored five points in the last two minutes to give Purdue a 28-25 lead at the break.
The third quarter went back-and-forth, featuring three ties and six lead changes in the 10-minute session. Purdue led by as many as six in the frame, 31-25, while Penn State pulled in front by five, 43-38, but the Boilermakers would finish the period on a 9-0 run to take a 47-43 edge into the final quarter. Wilson sparked the run cashing in a two and a three off feeds from Morrissette, junior Bridget Perry added a pair of free throws and Wilson finished up the period with a steal-and-feed to classmate Torrie Thornton. Penn State closed the gap to one point twice in the final quarter, but were unable to ever regain the lead again as Wilson and Morrissette made a string of four straight shots, and the Boilermakers hit 9-of-10 at the charity stripe to put the game away.
Wilson's 20-point effort was her seventh of the season and first since dropping 22 against the Lady Lions on Jan. 30. She finished 6-of-10 from the floor, 2-of-2 from 3-point range and 8-of-10 at the free throw line, in addition to five assists and three steals. After missing her first seven attempts of the game, Morrissette settled in and dropped 7-of-11 over the final 24 minutes, finishing with 15 points and four rebounds. Perry was just shy of a double-double, posting 10 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals, and the Boilermakers got excellent floor games from Thornton and sophomore Andreona Keys, who combined for 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, three blocks (all Thornton) and two steals. The win gives the Boilermakers their 20th of the year (20-10) and their seventh 20-win season under head coach Sharon Versyp.
Penn State was paced by All-Big Ten freshman Teniya Page, who cashed in a team-high 18 points, six rebounds and four assists, while junior Peyton Whittied posted a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Lady Lions finish 12-19 on the year.
The Boilermakers fell in their previous matchup with Michigan State this season, dropping a 68-56 contest in East Lansing on Jan. 27. Purdue was without Perry, who missed the game with a concussion, and failed to have a player score in double-figures for the only time this season. Tomorrow's game will begin 25 minutes after the conclusion of the quarterfinal matchup between 10th-seeded Rutgers and No. 2 seed Ohio State, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, and both games will air live on the Big Ten Network.