WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women's basketball team erupted on offense in a 95-57 win over Southern Indiana on Sunday in Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers moved to 3-3 on the year and shot 57.6% from the field with nine 3-pointers.
Purdue shot over 50% for the first time this season and posted its second highest field goal percentage of the Katie Gearlds era. Ten of the 11 active players scored with eight recording five or more. The Boilermakers dished out 24 assists on 34 made field goals and committed just 10 turnovers.
Abbey Ellis paced Purdue with her sixth game in double figures this season with 19 points. The Australian turned in an all-around performance going 7-of-11 from the field, 4-of-4 at the line, dishing out seven assists and six rebounds in just 20 minutes of action.
Jeanae Terry posted a similarly solid all-around night with six points, six rebounds and eight assists over 18 minutes on the court. Madison Layden was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field with four 3-pointers for 16 points.
Rashunda Jones led the freshman line with 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Mary Ashley Stevenson fell one point shy of her career mark with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting at the line. McKenna Layden hit from distance twice to finish with a career-best eight points and six rebounds. Emily Monson added a rebound, assist and a block. Sophie Swanson made her collegiate debut with two points and two rebounds in eight minutes of action.
Purdue made history in the first quarter with 35 points, its highest scoring output in an opening frame and second highest in a quarter in program history. After missing their first three shots, the Boilermakers made their next 12 shots, building up a 21-point lead on 15 straight points. Purdue shot 80% from the field (12-15) and went a perfect 6-for-6 from behind the arc, while registering an assist on every made field goal.
The Boilermakers cooled down on offense in the second, as Ellis recorded nine points. Purdue carried a 21-point lead into the break.
Purdue's defense set the tone in the third quarter, allowing Southern Indiana (3-2) to just 2-of-14 shooting in the frame. The Boilermakers did not give up a point in the third until a pair of free throws at the 3:46 mark. During the defensive lockdown, Purdue scored 17 straight points to open a 72-34 lead.
The Boilermakers closed out the game with 8-of-13 shooting in the fourth. A highlight came with 1:58 to play when the Boilermakers had all five active freshmen on the court together for the first time this year.
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Southern Indiana 1-0. The Boilermakers are now 153-56 when facing an opponent for the first time.
• Purdue set a season high with nine triples.
• The Boilermakers won the rebounding battle 39-29, turning nine offensive rebounds into 10 points.
• Purdue is now 20-5 when assisting on 70% or more of its made field goals and 7-0 when recording an assist-to-turnover ratio better than 2-1.
• The freshmen combined for a season-high 38 points, four 3-pointers, six assists, and four steals.
• Madison Layden passed Beth Jones for 13th in Purdue history with 155 career triples.
• Terry's eight assists marked her 55th game at Purdue with five or more assists, seventh most in the nation since she arrived in West Lafayette ahead of the 2021-22.
• Purdue outscored Southern Indiana 11-0 on fastbreak opportunities.
• The 38-point margin of victory was the second largest of the Katie Gearlds era.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will play two games in three days next weekend starting with a road trip 7 p.m. tip at Dayton on Friday before a 2 p.m. game next Sunday against Valparaiso.