Box Score
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. --- Portland’s Laiken Dollente scored a game-high 19 points, but the No. 21 Purdue Boilermakers defeated the Pilots 70-50 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Thursday night in front of 8,320 fans at Mackey Arena. Dollente has led the Pilots in scoring during all three games this season.
Portland’s record drops to 1-2 on the year, while Purdue improves to 2-0.
Dollente hit three three-pointers and went 8-for-10 at the free-throw line on her way to the game high in points. The junior guard is averaging almost 20 points per game this season.
Purdue had four players score in double figures, led by FahKara Malone with 17. Malone hit six of 10 shots from the field and connected on four three-pointers.
The Pilots enjoyed success early on, scoring the game’s first four points. Senior Allyson Sievers and sophomore Lauren Angel hit back-to-back shots to give the Pilots a 4-0 lead. But Purdue would respond with a 16-0 run to take a twelve point lead.
Portland would momentarily climb back within eight points after a pair of free throws by sophomore Tara Cronin, but Malone answered with a three-pointer at the other end to push the lead back to double digits at 21-10.
The Boilermakers would take a 42-20 lead into the locker room.
It was more of the same in the second half as the Pilots wouldn’t get closer than 17 points the rest of the way.
In her first action this season, UP senior Carly Koebel scored seven points, grabbed five rebounds and made a pair of blocks. Freshman ReZina TecleMariam also scored seven points for Portland, while Sievers had a team-high seven rebounds.
The Pilots shot 34.8 percent (16-for-46) from the floor, hit five of 10 from behind the three-point arc and went 13-for-19 from the line. Purdue countered with a 41.4 shooting percentage (24-for-58), connected on four of 13 three-pointers and shot 18-for-24 from the free throw line.
The Boilermakers also outrebounded the Pilots 38-30 and took advantage of 26 Portland turnovers. Purdue committed 15 turnovers on the night.
Portland’s journey continues with a jaunt to the Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa, this weekend. The Pilots are set to face the Providence College Friars on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (PT) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the campus of the University of Iowa. Portland will then face either tournament host Iowa or Boston U. on Sunday.
