WBB Edged Late at No. 22 MSU 74-66
The Boilermakers tied things up with 57 seconds left, but came up short on the road
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Purdue women’s basketball team fought their way out of a 15-point hole on the road Sunday at No. 22 Michigan State, but came up short against the Spartans 74-66 at the Breslin Center. The Boilermakers knotted the score 66-66 with 57 seconds left, but Michigan State finished the game on an 8-0 run for the final spread, dropping Purdue to 15-9 overall and 6-5 in conference play.
The Spartans hot outside shooting carried them out to a 13-point halftime edge, hitting five first-half triples and finishing with eight for the game. The lead grew to 15 with the opening bucket of the second half, but then the Boilermakers started to chip away. A 12-2 run made it 43-38 and a steal-and-score from sophomore Lyndsey Whilby to classmate Karissa McLaughlin, and despite another MSU spurt Purdue came back again with eight straight to cut it to two, 48-46, with two minutes left in the third.
Michigan State held on to its slim lead through most of the fourth, answering every Boilermaker run with a bucket, but Purdue managed to tie things up in the final minute as sophomore Tamara Farquhar cleaned up a Whilby miss and put it back. MSU junior Shay Colley hit the decisive bucket on the next possession, hitting a runner to take the lead with 38 seconds left. Purdue had two chances to even it up, missing their initial try and then getting hit with a five-second violation on the ensuing inbounds, giving Michigan State back the back with 20 seconds remaining. Purdue fouled in the final seconds, trying for one more opportunity, but couldn’t catch up.
Junior Ae’Rianna Harris had a huge game, posting 20 points, 13 rebounds, five blocked shots and three assists, while McLaughlin added 16 points, four assists and matched a career high with four steals. Junior Dominique Oden finished with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists before fouling out and Whilby posted 10 points and two steals.
Michigan State had five players in double figures led by Colley and sophomore Sidney Cooks with 20 points each. The Spartans improve to 16-5 overall and 6-4 in conference play.
Purdue is back in action Thursday, hosting Illinois at Mackey Arena for a 7 p.m. ET at Mackey Arena.