WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A few tough bounces on key possessions proved to be the difference for the Purdue women's basketball team in a 71-64 loss to No. 25 Michigan State on Sunday afternoon at Mackey Arena. Purdue rallied from as much as 14 points down to one in the third quarter, but the Boilermakers could not complete the comeback.
Kayana Traylor posted her seventh game in double-digit scoring with a team-high 16 points. The junior did most of her damage at the line on a career-best 10-of-13 afternoon, adding a trio of rebounds and a pair of assists.
Purdue (5-3, 2-2) shot 34.5% compared to a 40.7% clip for Michigan State (8-0, 3-0), both teams connected on four 3-pointers. The Boilermakers won the rebounding battle 37-32 and converted 10 offensive boards in to 10 second-chance points.
After another quick start for Purdue that opened a 9-5 lead, the Spartans rolled off a 17-4 run to open a 37-25 gap at the break. Madison Layden scored all five of her points in the opening 20 minutes on the way to a career-high day with seven assists and six rebounds.
Following an early basket by Michigan State in the third, Purdue found its rhythm on a 15-2 run that closed the gap down to one at 41-40. The Boilermakers went 6-for-8 at the line in the period, including four fastbreak free throws in a row from Jenelle Grant. Defensively, Purdue held the Spartans to just 2-of-15 shooting and four points for the first 9:39 of the third, before the Spartans scored two quick baskets to take a five-point lead into the final period.
The Boilermakers held the Spartans within reach in the fourth but were only able to cut it to a one-score game once with 25 seconds remaining.
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series against Michigan State 42-35.
• Madison Layden is only the 12th freshman this season to finish with five points, six rebounds and seven assists.
• After hitting 19 3-pointers over the last two games, Purdue only connected four times Sunday.
• Sunday was Traylor's seventh double-figure scoring game of the year. She had 16 over her first two seasons in West Lafayette.
• Rokia Doumbia made an impact late, finishing with a season-high six points and seven rebounds off the bench.
• The Boilermakers tallied 14 assists on 19 made field goals.
• Purdue went 22-for-27 at the charity stripe, marking the third game this season with 20 made free throws and the 10th time since 2016-17.
• Karissa McLaughlin made a pair of 3-pointers to move her into second place in program history with 239 career makes, passing Brittany Rayburn. The senior needs one to tie Courtney Moses for the Purdue record.
UP NEXT
Purdue will hit the road for the next two games, starting Thursday night against Rutgers at 7 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
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