WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's basketball team fell to visiting Ohio University Sunday at Mackey Arena 77-71, falling to 6-5 on the season. The Boilermakers committed 33 turnovers in the loss, leading to 36 Bobcat points, and Ohio shot 62.5 percent (10-16) from the 3-point line in the win.
The Boilermakers kept Ohio at bay through the first half with red-hot shooting, hitting 72.7 percent (8-11) in the first quarter and 55.6 percent (5-9) in the second to hold a 37-36 lead at the break. Senior Andreona Keys had 11 first-half points, while sophomore Lamina Cooper added nine and classmate Ae'Rianna Harris chipped in seven.
Ohio opened the second half on an 8-0 run to take a 44-37 lead, as Purdue was unable to find the bucket until the 6:09 mark on a Keys layup. The score sparked an 8-0 run to answer for the Boilermakers, which featured a triple from sophomore Dominique Oden and five points from Keys. Purdue regained the lead 45-44, and the two sides would trade blows until Ohio scored the last four of the quarter to take a 56-52 lead to the fourth.
Purdue could never quite get over the hump in the final quarter, cutting the lead to as close as one, 66-65 with 3:46 left, but falling victim to cold shooting and some bad luck. The Boilermakers cut it to three on a pair of Cooper free throws, but Ohio responded by banking home a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock and extend it back to six. A triple from Cooper and a pair of Keys free throws made it 66-65, but a rare 3-pointer from Ohio freshman Gabby Burress pushed the gap back to four and the Bobcats wouldn't look back. Purdue made just 5-of-20 in the final 10 minutes and had to break a streak of seven straight missed shots with a pair of Cooper layups late.
Keys posted her third 20-point effort of the season, hitting on 6-of-10 from the floor and 7-of-7 at the stripe, and adding five assists, two steals and two blocks. Cooper had a career-high scoring total in her third straight game, tallying 18 points to go with four assists and two steals, and Oden finished with 17 points and five rebounds, hitting three 3's. Freshman Tamara Farquhar pulled down a career-most 10 rebounds to lead Purdue.
The Boilermakers are off for final exams this week and return to action next Sunday, hosting the Basketball Traveler's Inc. Invitational. Eastern Washington, UT Martin and Saint Mary's make the trip to Mackey Arena, and will team for double-headers on Sunday, Dec. 17, Monday, Dec. 18 and Wednesday, Dec. 20.