McLaughlin nets 23 in Lady Boilermakers win over Bradley

Karrisa Mclaughlin driving to the basket for 2 of her 23 during the Bradley Braves vs Purdue Boilermakers game at Mackey Arena on December 21 , 2018. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
Bradley Braves vs Purdue Boilermakers game at Mackey Arena on December 21 , 2018. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)

WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue’s women handed Bradley’s basketball team its first loss of the season with a 74-61 win at Mackey Arena.

The Lady Boilermakers (9-4) dominated the first half of the game, finishing the first quarter 29-10 and the half at 52-29. Karissa McLaughlin, Purdue’s starting guard, landed 3-3 outside the circle and 5-9 for two-point field goals to end the second period. The second half saw Bradley cut a 26 point deficit down to 11, but would never catch the home team.
“I thought our first half was really solid,” Purdue’s Sharon Versyp said after the win. “The second half, we got into foul trouble and that allowed them to make those runs when we weren’t moving on offense like we did.”
Lady Brave Gabi Haack  only netted nine points in the first two periods, but her performance in the latter half drastically improved for Bradley. She would finish the game with 22 points, just one behind McLaughlin’s 23.
Bradley Braves vs Purdue Boilermakers game at Mackey Arena on December 21 , 2018. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)

“We needed to be in attack mode, especially in the third quarter,” Versyp stated. Bradley outscored Purdue 20-10 in the third, but still trailed by thirteen points. Purdue missed all six of the 3s taken here. As both teams put up 12 in the final period, the Boilers could end their three game week off with a win.

On the shooting side, percentages varied but baskets did not. Both teams shot 26 for two and six for three, but Bradley’s shooters were 3/6 from the foul line while Purdue went 16-19.
Versyp said that her team had recovered from the 73-82 2OT loss against South Carolina and could now enjoy the holidays. “Everybody needs to take a good break, take a chance to home. We’ll be back on the 26th and we need a good break. These kids have had a tough stretch and I’m really proud of them.”
Bradley Braves vs Purdue Boilermakers game at Mackey Arena on December 21 , 2018. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)

Purdue starts conference play next Friday as Ohio State brings its women’s team to West Lafayette.

SCORES BY QUARTERS
P:29 23 10 12 -74
B:10 19 20 12 – 61
P: Ae’rianna Harris 7 0 0/0 14; McLaughlin 7 3 6/6 23; Oden 5 2 2/2 14; Traylor 2 0 4/4 8; Farquhar 3 0 1/3 7; Diagne 1 0 0/0 2; Hardin 1 1 2/2 5; Whilby 0 0 1/2 1.
B: Brackmann 6 0 0/1 12; White 5 0 0/0 10; Haack 8 3 3/5 22; Petree 2 1 0/0 5; Kent 1 0 0/0 2; Lawson 4 2 0/0 10.