WEST LAFAYETTE - A flurry of a fourth quarter turned in the favor of Purdue Women's Basketball when sophomore guard Madison Layden (Kokomo, Ind.) poured in two buckets inside the final minute, securing an 81-77 victory for the Boilermakers over Penn State.
The win improved head coach Katie Gearlds' first squad at Purdue to 14-10 (5-8 B1G). Mackey Arena has seen its share of wins for the Boilermakers during the 2021-22 season, as Purdue improved to 9-5 on its home court.
Junior Rickie Woltman (St. Louis, Mo.) was a problem for Penn State (9-14, 3-10 B1G) throughout the game. The forward secured her second career double-double behind an 18-point, 11-rebound evening effort. The 18-point outburst was a career-best for Woltman, while Layden's final two field goals brought her total to 20 points, matching her career-best (previously: vs. Western Michigan, Nov. 14, 2021).
Purdue held a slim one-point lead after the first two quarters of play, 34-33. Woltman's aforementioned work in the paint boosted the Boilermakers through the first half, as her nine points and five rebounds at the break were both team highs.
Penn State's Makenna Marisa was held to six points in the first half, but exploded in the second half with 25 points, 19 of which came in the speedy fourth quarter. Purdue outrebounded the Lady Lions by a 40-27 margin, but Penn State was sticky with its hands to generate 24 turnovers.
The Boilermakers shot a sharp 50.0 percent from the field in the first half (13-for-26), and followed that up with an even stronger 54.5 mark in the second half (18-for-33).
Junior guard Abbey Ellis (Melbourne, Australia) chipped in a superb supporting game to Woltman and Layden's performances, as the Purdue newcomer recorded 12 points and seven assists.
QUOTE
Head coach Katie Gearlds...
"When you're the head coach of a basketball team, you basically go to war every single day with your team. You ask them to do things that are uncomfortable. You put them in uncomfortable situations, and you ask them to run through brick walls, but they've got to know that I'm running through that same brick wall for them. People always tell me, 'KG, these aren't your kids.' I love these kids. These kids are literally my lifeline. I pour my heart and soul into them, and I think they feel that. In return, they give us absolutely everything. I couldn't be more grateful, I adore coaching this basketball team."
Sophomore guard Madison Layden...
"I think she (Coach Gearlds) has confidence in every single one of us. She trusts us, so when we go out there, it's not like we're scared to do anything. We know she has our back and we have hers."
Junior forward Rickie Woltman...
"We both turned it on a little bit in the third quarter, but I feel like our bench always does a really good job of stepping up. I think that everyone is always looking to contribute on our team. I feel like that's huge because everyone knows when they get in, (they) do what (they) can to help the team out."
NEXT UP
Purdue hits the road to face Wisconsin (6-17, 3-10) in a Sunday, Feb. 13, matchup at the Kohl Center. The game was rescheduled from the original Dec. 30 contest. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT, with coverage on B1G+ and the Purdue Radio Network.
The win improved head coach Katie Gearlds' first squad at Purdue to 14-10 (5-8 B1G). Mackey Arena has seen its share of wins for the Boilermakers during the 2021-22 season, as Purdue improved to 9-5 on its home court.
Junior Rickie Woltman (St. Louis, Mo.) was a problem for Penn State (9-14, 3-10 B1G) throughout the game. The forward secured her second career double-double behind an 18-point, 11-rebound evening effort. The 18-point outburst was a career-best for Woltman, while Layden's final two field goals brought her total to 20 points, matching her career-best (previously: vs. Western Michigan, Nov. 14, 2021).
Purdue held a slim one-point lead after the first two quarters of play, 34-33. Woltman's aforementioned work in the paint boosted the Boilermakers through the first half, as her nine points and five rebounds at the break were both team highs.
Penn State's Makenna Marisa was held to six points in the first half, but exploded in the second half with 25 points, 19 of which came in the speedy fourth quarter. Purdue outrebounded the Lady Lions by a 40-27 margin, but Penn State was sticky with its hands to generate 24 turnovers.
The Boilermakers shot a sharp 50.0 percent from the field in the first half (13-for-26), and followed that up with an even stronger 54.5 mark in the second half (18-for-33).
Junior guard Abbey Ellis (Melbourne, Australia) chipped in a superb supporting game to Woltman and Layden's performances, as the Purdue newcomer recorded 12 points and seven assists.
QUOTE
Head coach Katie Gearlds...
"When you're the head coach of a basketball team, you basically go to war every single day with your team. You ask them to do things that are uncomfortable. You put them in uncomfortable situations, and you ask them to run through brick walls, but they've got to know that I'm running through that same brick wall for them. People always tell me, 'KG, these aren't your kids.' I love these kids. These kids are literally my lifeline. I pour my heart and soul into them, and I think they feel that. In return, they give us absolutely everything. I couldn't be more grateful, I adore coaching this basketball team."
Sophomore guard Madison Layden...
"I think she (Coach Gearlds) has confidence in every single one of us. She trusts us, so when we go out there, it's not like we're scared to do anything. We know she has our back and we have hers."
Junior forward Rickie Woltman...
"We both turned it on a little bit in the third quarter, but I feel like our bench always does a really good job of stepping up. I think that everyone is always looking to contribute on our team. I feel like that's huge because everyone knows when they get in, (they) do what (they) can to help the team out."
NEXT UP
Purdue hits the road to face Wisconsin (6-17, 3-10) in a Sunday, Feb. 13, matchup at the Kohl Center. The game was rescheduled from the original Dec. 30 contest. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT, with coverage on B1G+ and the Purdue Radio Network.