WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Playing their final game at Mackey Arena, the Purdue women's basketball team sent its senior off on a winning note Sunday afternoon with a 70-66 win over Illinois. The Boilermakers held off a furious fourth quarter charge by the Illini to close the home slate with a win.
Brooke Moore and Kayana Traylor paced the Boilermakers (7-14, 4-14) with 33 combined points, split 17 and 16, respectively. Moore was 6-of-13 from the field and totaled three 3-pointers. Traylor was 5-of-11 from the field and dished out a game-high seven assists.
On a night honoring the oldest members of the program, Purdue's two freshmen evenly split 20 points. Madison Layden went 3-of-6 from the field and 2-of-5 from distance, while Ra Shaya Kyle narrowly missed out on her first career double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds. Both rookies knocked down key free throws in the final minutes.
The Boilermakers shot 40.7% from the field and 10-of-28 from behind the arc. Purdue dished out 17 assists on 24 made field goals and finished with 18 fastbreak points and 18 points off 12 Illinois (3-17, 1-16) turnovers.
Jenelle Grant gave the Boilermakers an early lead with five straight point in her first start of the year. Neither side gained much of a lead in the opening frame, before Brooke Moore capped the period on a 3-point buzzer beater to give Purdue an 13-11 lead.
Cassidy Hardin snapped an 8-0 run by the Fighting Illini in the second with a 3-pointer, before Layden took a steal all the way to the basket to tie the game at 22-22. Grant then scored Purdue's next five points, including a corner triple, as a part of a 12-5 spree which gave the Boilermakers a 29-27 lead into the break.
Both sides connected on four triples over the opening 20 minutes, while Purdue shot 40% from the floor to Illinois' 30% clip.
The Boilermakers took control in the third quarter with 12 straight points to open a 44-33 lead. Moore knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and accounted for eight points during the stretch. Following a 7-3 response by the Illini, Purdue poured on a 9-0 run, capped by a traditional 3-point play in transition by Kyle.
Purdue's lead grew to 16 points early in the fourth quarter, before Illinois roared all the way back on a 19-3 run to tie the game at 61-61 with 2:27 to play. Kyle and Layden both drained a pair of free throws in the final three minutes to keep Purdue in the lead. Illinois had one opportunity to take the lead on a 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining, but tight Purdue defense ensured the shot fell short of its mark.
SENIOR SENDOFF
The Boilermakers honored seniors Jenelle Grant, Fatou Diagne, Tamara Farquhar and Leony Boudreau in a postgame ceremony. Grant finished with nine points, six rebounds and two assists. Diagne struggled with foul trouble, fouling out for the second time in her career, but still turned in six rebounds and an assist in 17 minutes of action. Farquhar totaled three points off just the third made 3-pointer of her career.
GOING DEEP OR 3RD QUARTER RUN
Purdue recorded 10 3-pointers for the fourth time this season. Six different Boilermakers connected from outside, led by three from Moore and a pair each from Layden and Traylor. The 28 attempted 3-pointers were the most since Dec. 5, 2018 against Ohio.
QUOTE
Head coach Sharon Versyp on the momentum of this win …
I'm so happy for our players. They've stayed positive. They've worked exceptionally hard. There are things that change day to day for us. You just have to keep adapting. To be able to seal the deal and win a close game, have a great third quarter, understand what we're looking for, it makes everybody feel better when you go home at night.
Senior Jenelle Grant on the memories of playing at Purdue…
It was exciting to start. It was a bittersweet experience to know it was my last time playing at Mackey. To get the win was the most important thing. I was proud of such a great team effort.
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Illinois 62-18, with a 32-5 mark at Mackey Arena
• Traylor dished out at least five assists for the ninth time this season and 28th time for her career.
• The 16-point lead was Purdue's biggest since Dec. 23 against Nebraska.
• Traylor played her fourth complete game of the Big Ten season.
• Moore led the Boilermakers in scoring for the fifth time this season.
• Layden extended her 3-point streak to 19 games and her steals streak to 21 games.
• The game featured eight lead changes and seven ties.
• Purdue was 12-of-17 from the free throw line, including 7-of-8 in the fourth quarter.
• The Boilermakers' 27 points in the third quarter tied for the second most by the Boilermakers in the period this season.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will close the 2020-21 regular season next Saturday at Indiana with a 1 p.m. tipoff on Big Ten Network+.
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).