Utah hands Boilermakers first loss
Through the first three games this season, Purdue owned the second quarter.
But not in Game 4. On Monday night, Utah shot better than 64 percent in the second quarter, opening an 11-point halftime lead on its way toward handing the Boilermakers an 81-68 loss, their first of the season.
"This is a true road test for us, because of the foul differential," Coach Sharon Versyp said on her post-game radio interview, noting the 22 fouls called vs. 14 for Utah. "It was huge. You just can't make up for that. I told the kids, they're going to call everything, we have to keep battling."
Purdue did in the third quarter, pulling to within six after shooting nearly 67-percent from the floor. But that run was over by the time the fourth quarter started; then, Purdue scored only nine points in 10 minutes, allowing the Utes to reestablish their double-double lead when Tori Williams hit back-to-back triples.
"I thought the third quarter was really good, but in the fourth we let two threes open in the quarter, which shouldn't happen," Versyp said.
Purdue shot only 26-percent in the fourth quarter. The Boilermakers (3-1) turned the ball over 13 times, while being out-rebounded 39-26.
Andreona Keys scored 16 points to lead the Boilermakers, while freshman Tam Farquhar had a career-high 12 points and five rebounds. Ae'Rianna Harris scored 11, with five bounds and four blocks.
Purdue had trouble controlling the interior of the Utes, with forward Megan Huff scoring a game-high 23 points with 11 rebounds.
"We learned a lot about ourselves," Versyp said. "We're struggling at the point guard, to get us organized. They pressured us the whole time and that's what you do when you have young point guards. They outworked us but proud of our effort, they never quit, got after it. This will be a big building block for us."
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