Purdue WBB Falls in Double Overtime Thriller 82-73

The Boilermakers suffered their first home loss of the season Sunday
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team took 25th-ranked South Carolina to double overtime Sunday at Mackey Arena, but came up short in an 82-73 loss to the Gamecocks. The Boilermakers had opportunities to earn the win in regulation and overtime but were unable to capitalize as they moved to 7-4 on the season with two games left in the non-conference schedule.
Junior Dominique Oden led Purdue’s effort, finishing with her first career double-double at 19 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Karissa McLaughlin scored a game-high 25 points and had five boards. Freshman Kayana Traylor chipped in 11 points, six rebounds and five assists, while junior Ae’Rianna Harris added 10 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.
After trailing most of the game, and seeing the deficit grow as high as 10 in the second half, 35-25, the Boilermakers rallied with an 11-0 run to finish the third quarter and took a 42-39 lead to the final period. Another run came for the Old Gold & Black in the fourth quarter as McLaughlin and Oden teamed for seven straight points and a 51-44 lead with 5:30 to play, but South Carolina refused to go away. South Carolina junior Mikiah Herbert Harrigan scored eight straight points to pull the Gamecocks within three, 53-50, and sophomore Bianca Jackson hit a triple with 1:30 left to even the score.
The teams traded points to make it 55-55 and Purdue had the ball with 21 seconds left and a chance to win. A lob pass inside was tipped out of bounds with 4.4 seconds left and McLaughlin’s heave at the buzzer rimmed out to send Purdue to its first overtime contest of the year.
South Carolina led early in the overtime behind several early buckets from senior Alexis Jennings after Purdue junior Ae’Rianna Harris fouled out with 3:46 left in the extra frame. Oden and McLaughlin were steady at the free throw line, earning trips and converting to keep Purdue within a couple points at all times. Sophomore Tamara Farquhar made an incredible slashing move to the bucket to even the count at 62-62 with 1:38 to play and after a South Carolina turnover, McLaughlin drew another foul to head back to the line.
After McLaughlin dropped the first free throw the South Carolina bench was assessed a technical foul, giving the Boilermakers three more tries at the stripe, all of which fell for the Purdue sophomore. The Gamecocks answered with two free throws of their own on a 50/50 block/charge call that went South Carolina’s way, and then McLaughlin headed back to the line. The Boilermakers’ outstanding free throw shooter got just one-of-two, leaving the score at 67-64 with 24 seconds left.
South Carolina missed a 3-pointer to tie but got their own rebound before a foul on a 3-point shot, disqualifying Farquhar from the game and sending Jackson to the line for three shots, all of which fell to force a second overtime.
Purdue ran out of gas in the final period as South Carolina pounded it inside to slowly pull away. South Carolina made the most of their free throw attempts in the extra periods, hitting 15-of-15 down the stretch. The Gamecocks outscored Purdue 44-24 in the paint for the game, and 23-13 off 25 Boilermaker turnovers. South Carolina outrebounded Purdue 39-38, but did the bulk of the work in the overtimes, earning an 11-3 advantage after Harris and Farquhar fouled out of the game.
Herbert Harrigan had 19 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Gamecocks, who improved to 6-4 with the win, while Jennings had 19 points and seven rebounds, junior Tyasha Harris chipped in 14 points and seven assists and Jackson had 14 points.
Purdue returns to action Wednesday for Elementary School Day as the Boilermakers host Albany for an 11:30 a.m. tip at Mackey Arena.