WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women's basketball team dropped a defensive battle on Thursday night on the first day of Elevance Health Fort Myers Tip-Off, falling 54-49 to Middle Tennessee.
The Boilermakers' defense held Middle Tennessee (6-1) to just 27.6% shooting from the field and allowed just four points off turnovers. The Blue Raiders took advantage of seven made 3-pointers and a 22-2 free throw attempt difference to outlast the Boilermakers.
Purdue (4-2) was led in scoring by Sophie Swanson and Destini Lombard with 11 points each. The Boilermakers finished the night shooting 33% and knocked down five 3-pointers.
TOP STATS
Swanson went 3-of-6 from deep on the night. Her second triple early in the third quarter marked the 50th of her career in 33 games. Lombard reached double figures for the fifth time this season on a 5-of-8 shooting night.
Purdue won the rebounding battle 47-38. Rashunda Jones snagged a career-high eight rebounds to go with six points and three assists, while Lana McCarthy added nine boards.
KEY MOMENTS
• Purdue opened the game on a 9-3 run with four points from Lombard and a stepback Swanson triple at the 5:37 mark.
• Middle Tennessee rallied with a 9-2 run of its own to take a one-point lead with 1:52 to play in the frame. Kendall Puryear connected on a pair of mid-range jumpers to give Purdue a 15-14 lead after one.
• The Blue Raiders outscored Purdue 11-6 in the second quarter with neither club shooting over 24% in the period to lead 25-21 at the break.
• Purdue fired out of the halftime break with an eight-point run, including a pair of Swanson 3-pointers to put the Boilermakers ahead 29-25.
• Regan Bass scored Purdue's final four points of the third, as the Blue Raiders carried a 37-33 lead into the fourth on a 12-4 run.
• Again, Purdue started strong in the fourth. Collier started a seven-point swing with a long ball to help Purdue take a 44-42 lead with 7:02 to play.
• Middle Tennessee closed the game on an 11-2 run with seven points coming at the line.
NOTES
• Thursday was the first meeting between the two ball clubs.
• Purdue is now 7-4 on Thanksgiving.
• The Boilermakers are 40-9 over the last four seasons when outrebounding an opponent.
• Reagan Bass added to hear team-high blocks total with a pair of rejections. She now has nine on the year.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will take on No. 4 South Carolina on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. The game will be streamed on the Women's Sports Network.