Boilers Fall to No. 2 UConn 86-40
The Boilermakers ran into a buzz-saw Saturday as UConn hit 57.6 percent
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- THOMAS, U.S.V.I. – The Purdue women’s basketball team fell in its final game of the 2018 Paradise Jam, suffering an 86-40 loss to second-ranked UConn and moving to 5-2 on the season. Junior Ae’Rianna Harris received all-tournament honors after a six-point, eight-rebound effort, and classmate Dominique Oden and freshman Kayana Traylor paced the Boilermakers against the Huskies with 12 points apiece.
It was all UConn from the get-go as they hit 11-of-15 in the first quarter (.733) and never looked back. Their 28-8 first-quarter lead swelled to 47-18 at the half, and despite a better effort from the Boilermakers in the second half the gap was too much.
UConn hit on 57.6 percent (34-59) for the game, including a scorching 62.5 percent from 3-point range (10-16). Tournament MVP Napheesa Collier posted 19 points and 10 boards, while fellow senior Katie Lou Samuelson had a game-high 22, and freshman Christyn Williams had 17 points.
Traylor scored 10 of her 12 in the second half for the Boilermakers, showing no fear against the Huskies, adding three assists and a pair of rebounds to her total. After posting 34 points off turnovers and offensive boards Friday vs. Ole Miss, Purdue totaled just nine against the Huskies despite a season-high 18 offensive boards.
Purdue returns to action Thursday, hosting Miami at Mackey Arena for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.