Purdue defense smothers Ball State
Ball State finished Thursday night with nearly as many turnovers as field goals, a credit to Purdue’s defense.
That suffocating effort led the Boilermakers (7-4) to a 58-42 victory, their fourth straight as they climbed a season-high three games above .500 for the first time this season. The Cardinals (5-3) shot only 23.1 percent (15-of-65) for the game, while committing 13 turnovers. Only a couple meaningless three-pointers by Moriah Monaco in the last three minutes kept BSU from being near historically low offensive marks for a Purdue opponent.
“Our defense was exceptionally solid,” Coach Sharon Versyp said during her post-game radio interview. “And we only had about seven bodies, which was very difficult. It’s hard enough right now, so I just told them to play great defense. We’re going to be able to score what we need to score.
“… Really pleased with the effort, the passion, playing as well as we did. It’s been along stretch. We just keep getting better, and that’s what we need to do.”
Purdue jumped out early, getting a couple three-pointers by Dominique Oden — the freshman had 15, leading Purdue for the second game in the last three nights — in the first four minutes. The second gave the Boilermakers a 13-6 lead at 5:55 of the first.
But in what was a bit of an ugly game offensively, neither team scored a field goal in the final five minutes of the first period, Purdue getting only two points on a couple of free throws. By the 5:45 mark of the second, the margin was only four, 20-16, after the Cardinals had used a 6-0 to get back into the game.
But it was short-lived. A 13-2 run into the third quarter gave the Boilermakers a 33-18 lead, with Bridget Perry scoring the last bucket on a jumper. The margin was 18 when Ashley Morrissette scored a three-pointer just before the fourth quarter and it got as high as 25, with three minutes left in the game, on Andreona Keys’ jumper.
Morrissette scored 13 for Purdue, on four three-pointers and a free throw, setting a new program record by making a triple in her 23rd straight game. Keys had 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals, while Perry added nine points and six boards. Freshman Ae’Rianna Harris had a career-high 10 rebounds, with six points.
Purdue shot only 36.8 percent, but had eight three-pointers.
And the defense was great. Monaco, who averaged better than 16 points per game, was held in check, going scoreless for the first 37 minutes of game time. She had eight in the final three minutes, including the consecutive three-pointers; only then did BSU’s made field goals surpass its turnovers.
The Cardinals had only one in double-figures, with Rene Bennett scoring 16 but on 6-of-18 from the field.
Purdue played with a rotation, essentially, of only seven, after reserve center Nora Kiesler had to leave the game in the second quarter.
“Got hit in the head,” Versyp said. “I saw it right away and she knew she had to get out.”
Purdue has another game Sunday, its fourth in an eight-day span, but then will get a bit of time off.
“We have to get through one more game on Sunday and then finals and we can get some rest,” Versyp said.
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