In a game more up-and-down than the steep Chauncey Hill that spills from the edge of Purdue’s campus, the Boilermakers fell handily Sunday to Iowa despite moments when Carver-Hawkeye Arena went hushed.
The offense, by game’s end, had been too sloppy. Purdue (7-6, 0-2 Big Ten) accrued 18 turnovers in an away game that featured two of the Big Ten’s most ball security-challenged teams. No. 24 Iowa (11-2, 1-1) averages 16.8 turnovers per game, tied with the Boilermakers for second to last in the Big Ten.
The teams lived up to their reputations, combining for 34 turnovers. But the game was won with a Hawkeye strength: shooting, particularly within the arc. The Hawkeyes used their bigs to dominate inside and ratchet up their opponents’ foul numbers. Two Boilermakers ended the game with four fouls.
Iowa forward Addison O’Grady scored 12 points on an efficient 4-of-7 shooting display from the field. Iowa shot 68% from 2-point range in the 84-63 home win.
The action kicked off with a 27-13 first quarter for the Hawkeyes. Purdue mounted the beginnings of serious comebacks twice, once in the mid-second quarter and once in the mid-third.
The third quarter, especially, showed a recipe for Purdue to compete Sunday night against a superior opponent and potentially moving forward. For a five-minute stretch just inside the third quarter, the Boilermakers forced seven turnovers, let up no Hawkeye field goals, and won the span 15-2. It was fueled by one-woman wrecking crew Destini Lombard. The guard scored 12 points, which led an uninspiring scoring effort from her team, and added four assists. But Lombard made hay on the defensive end.
The fast, lanky guard racked up a game-high six steals. When the Boilers could convert, like when guard Ella Collier drained an open 3 to cap Purdue’s 15-2 third-quarter run, they were in business. Too often, though, they could not.
Purdue scored 18 points off 16 Iowa turnovers. For a half-court offense with familiar limitations, the missed layups and mistimed shots were back-breaking to any fledgling runs. The Boilers shot just 41% from 2, as their youth inside and foul trouble created a weak post presence.
There was a bright spot for Purdue: freshman guard Jordyn Poole, in her third game back from a shin injury, was finally set free, absent a minutes restriction for the first time. In her 11 minutes of playing time she assumed ball-handling duties, taking five shots and scoring 7 points. There were a couple layups, and the rest were mid-range looks as Poole showed off a confident jump shot.
Poole stretched Iowa’s defensed laterally and vertically with her two-player game in the post, creating space with her quick-trigger threat from mid-range. As evidenced by her 7 points, she at times made the Hawkeyes pay for coming unglued.
It didn’t come without hiccups, with two turnovers in her sparse playing time and the defensive catchup she’ll need to do ostensibly limiting her playing time. But overall, the play was encouraging – Poole’s +15 plus/minus led the team significantly.
The Boilers could also use Poole’s apparent confidence: Eight of their next nine opponents rank top-40 in the NCAA’s NET rankings. There will be worse than Iowa up ahead, and Purdue’s NCAA Tournament hopes likely rest on pulling an upset or two.
