The Purdue Boilermakers’ first Big Ten Tournament game in two years ended on March 4 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but not before a second-half surge offered a glimpse of the fight that defined their season.
No. 11 Oregon defeated No. 14 Purdue 82-64 in the tournament’s third contest, advancing to face No. 6 Maryland (which the Ducks won 73-68).
The Ducks (21-11) built a 23-point halftime lead behind nearly flawless free-throw shooting and Ehis Etute’s dominant post presence, then weathered a third-quarter barrage from the Boilermakers (13-17).
For Purdue, the game mirrored a season of soundness amid struggles.
“I think it was a great first experience,” said freshman Lana McCarthy, who recorded 14 points and nine rebounds in 18 minutes. “Just feeling so grateful that I’m able to play in my first Big Ten Tournament.”
Ducks set tone
Oregon shot 93% from the free-throw line (27-of-29), the program’s best outing since February. The team corralled 14 offensive boards, leading to 23 second-chance points. Etute tallied her eighth double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds, repeatedly exploiting mismatches with her quickness.
“Before the game, I had film with Tre (Simmons), and he told me that I should square up and use my speed against them rather than try to power them up,” Etute said. “That was one of the key factors I changed.”
The Ducks never led by fewer than 10 after the second quarter and stretched their advantage to 26.
Purdue responds
Down 47-24 at halftime, the Boilermakers outscored Oregon 25-17 in the third frame, shooting 11-of-15 from the field and causing four turnovers. McCarthy scored eight points in the quarter, and freshman Hila Karsh, who had struggled from distance late in the season, knocked down three 3-pointers.
“When we talked about it at halftime, I thought at our place our guards were very, very good,” Purdue coach Katie Gearlds said. “In the second half we were a little bit more physical getting through those screens.”
Purdue cut the deficit to 11 but never closer, as Oregon’s Katie Fiso answered with timely jumpers. Fiso finished with 13 points in the second half.
Scrambling after injuries
Gearlds noted afterward that the Boilermakers competed without three potential starters due to injuries this season.
“Taylor blows her Achilles first day of practice. We anticipated her being our starting 3. Taylor Feldman goes down with a back in the summer,” Gearlds said. “Not ideal situations, but I can’t think of a team that I would want to roll out there with any more than those girls.”
The Boilermakers’ bench contributed 30 points, accounting for nearly 47% of the team’s production.
This marked Oregon’s first Big Ten Tournament win in program history. For Purdue, the game concluded the season.
As the spotlight intensifies on the growth of women’s sports, McCarthy reflected on her development from freshman to sophomore.
“Being able to play against some of the best post players in the country really taught me a lot about where I can grow,” she said. “With that same experience, just being able to see myself succeed.”
Contact Multimedia Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
