WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women's basketball team fell 88-66 on the road Sunday at Maryland. Purdue was led by sixth-year senior Caitlyn Harper with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
The Boilermakers (9-7, 2-3) opened each half on a roll with 6-2 and 10-2 runs in the first and third quarters, respectively. Despite the runs, Purdue was unable to keep the momentum as Maryland (11-5, 3-2) outscored the Boilermakers by 14 points combined in the second and fourth periods.
Harper hit double figures for the 10th time this season. Her efficient clip inside kept the Boilermakers at 42.2% shooting for the afternoon. Purdue was 7-of-19 from behind the arc. Madison Layden hit a trio of 3-pointers to finish with 13 points.
Jeanae Terry recorded seven points, five rebounds and six assists. It was the Detroit native's seventh game with five points, rebounds and assists this season.
Points off turnovers proved to be the difference maker. The Boilermakers forced the Terrapins into 17 giveaways but managed just points on the giveaways. Maryland turned 19 Purdue miscues into 25 points.
The Boilermakers connected on six of their first eight shots to build up a 12-9 lead in the first quarter. The Terrapins responded with an 18-5 run that carried into the second. Purdue trailed by as many as 15 points in the second, before McKenna Layden halted a run with a corner triple. Maryland led 44-31 at the break.
Ellis and Terry combined to score 16 points over the opening 20 minutes, as the Boilermakers shot 48.1% from the field with a trio of 3-pointers. Purdue forced 12 Maryland turnovers in the first half, but 15 Boilermaker miscues turned into 17 points for the hosts.
Mary Ashley Stevenson kickstarted a 10-2 blitz out of the locker room for the Boilermakers. Layden hit back-to-back triples, as a part of an 11-point quarter, to pull Purdue within five. Purdue scored 19 points in the third, but Maryland converted Purdue's four turnovers in the period into eight points to open a 68-50 advantage with 10 minutes left.
Harper finished inside three times for six points in the fourth, while Sophie Swanson added five off the bench in the fourth. Purdue hit a quartet of triples in the second half, but Maryland shot 57.1% from the field to keep the lead out of reach.
NOTES
• Maryland leads the all-time series 17-2.
• Madison Layden moved into a tie with Ashley Morrissette for ninth place on Purdue's all-time 3-pointer list with 181 makes.
• After committing 15 turnovers in the first half, Purdue cut their giveaways down to four in the second half.
• Freshmen McKenna Layden and Sophie Swanson both hit 3-pointers.
• Jeanae Terry is now 57 points away from 1,000 in her career.
• Abbey Ellis now needs 78 points to reach the 1,000 mark as a Boilermaker.
UP NEXT
Purdue will continue its two-game road swing on Thursday with a Jan. 18 visit to Penn State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on BTN.