Runnin' Bulldogs Fall To Purdue on Late Three, 59-58
December 23, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - Unlike last year in which the Runnin' Bulldogs used a late three-pointer to upset Purdue 56-55 in Mackey Arena, this year the Boilermakers returned the favor as junior Brittany Rayburn hit a leaning and contested three-pointer with the shot clock winding down and 16.4 seconds in the game to give the Boilermakers a 59-58 win over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night in Paul Porter Arena.
In a closely contested contest that saw 11 lead changes and five ties, the game started out as a game of runs, as Gardner-Webb took an 8-0 lead out of the gates to force Purdue to call a quick timeout less than three minutes into the contest.
However, Purdue responded with a 9-0 run of its own over the next five minutes to take its first lead of the game at 9-8 with 12:37 to play.
The two teams went back-and-forth for the majority of the opening half, until Gardner-Webb's LaTroya Pope knocked down a long two point jump shot with 8:37 to play, putting the Runnin' Bulldogs up at 16-15.
The Pope jumper sparked an 11-0 run that pushed the Runnin' Bulldogs in front by 10 at the 5:02 mark.
Purdue used a late put back lay up from Ashley Wilson at the buzzer of the first half to cut the GWU lead to six at 31-25 heading into the halftime break.
In the second half the Boilermakers' offense heated up, while the Runnin' Bulldogs struggled to make baskets, as Purdue ran out on a 16-3 run to take its largest lead of the game at 41-34 with 13:05 to play.
Despite struggling to find points, the Runnin' Bulldogs used its defense to get its offense started, battling back to tie the score up at 49-49 on a Dominique Hudson steal and fast break lay up with 6:13 to go in regulation.
Like the two teams' first match up last year in Mackey Arena, the game went down to the wire, as Gardner-Webb took a 58-56 lead on an eight-foot jumper from sophomore Brianna Dillard with 34 seconds to play.
The Boilermakers brought the ball up the court and ran a set play to try to get Rayburn open just left of the top of the key. The GWU defense held strong and forced Rayburn to put the ball on the ground, taking two dribbles to the left. The junior then hoisted up a leaning and well-contested three-pointer, hitting nothing but the net as it swished through giving the Boilermakers a 59-58 lead with 16.4 seconds on the clock.
After a GWU 30-second timeout, Monique Hudson drove down the left side of the lane, where she shot a contested left-handed lay up, which came up just short and was rebounded by Purdue's Alex Guyton with 10 seconds left on the clock.
Guyton, who was immediately fouled by Gardner-Webb after the rebound, missed the front end of a one-and-one. GWU's Sierra Little hauled in the rebound and quickly got the ball to Dominique Hudson.
With the time winding down, Dominique Hudson fired up a three-pointer which was partially blocked by Guyton, securing Purdue's 59-58 win as the final horn sounded.
Gardner-Webb outscored Purdue 32-24 in points in the paint, without redshirt-senior center Sandra Vaitkute who sat out due to an injury, and 26-13 in points off turnovers, forcing Purdue into 21 miscues.
However, the Boilermakers shot 42.9 percent from the floor for the game and 76.5 percent from the free throw line topping GWU in both categories, as the Runnin' Bulldogs shot 38.6 percent from the field and only 60 percent from the free throw line.
Dominique Hudson led the way with 20 points, seven assists and eight steals, while no other Runnin' Bulldogs scored in double figures.
Monique Hudson had eight points, four assists and three steals, while Little, Pope and Catrina Green all had seven points apiece for the game.
For Purdue, Rayburn led the way with 30 points, on 10-of-16 shooting, while Courtney Moses had eight points in 37 minutes of play.
Gardner-Webb (7-4) will return to action on December 29th, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will host Tennessee Temple at 7 p.m. in Paul Porter Arena.
Purdue (8-3) will also return to action after the Christmas holidays, as the Boilermakers host Western Illinois at 7 p.m. on December 28th.
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| Box Score: Purdue 59, Gardner-Webb 58 |
