WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The University of Dayton women's basketball team faced Purdue University Sunday afternoon and battled through adversity in a tough road loss against a Big Ten opponent.
 
The Flyers (5-5) were without their leading scorer Nayo Lear while the Boilermakers (7-4) remain unbeaten at home this year.
 
GAME RECAP
1st Quarter – Dayton 5, Purdue 14

• Both teams got off to a strong start defensively, forcing turnovers on the opening possessions.
• Dayton didn't manage its first points of the game until the 5:08 mark with a pullup jumper by sophomore Molly O'Riordan.
• The Flyers trailed 6-2 midway through the quarter opening quarter.
• The Boilers hit a three out of the break to extend their lead to seven.
• UD continued to struggle from the field with eight turnovers and a three-minute drought while Purdue used an 8-0 run to make it a double-digit deficit.
• Junior Jayda Johnson hit a corner three off the find from O'Riordan to end the skid with just over a minute to go on the clock.

 
2nd Quarter: Dayton 12, Purdue 44

• Purdue hit a three on the opening possession to make it a 17-5 ball game.
• Senior Shantavia Dawkins managed to convert her free throws, the first of the game for the Flyers.
• Dayton was forced to call a timeout with 8:22 clock and looking to overcome a 21-7 disadvantage. The timeout worked as the Flyers drew up a play for junior Ajok Madol to hit a three and start something for the visitors.
• Purdue continued to pile it on as the hosts got the margin to 20, 30-10, by the midway point of the second.
• UD called its second timeout with 4:03 to go in the half and a 25-point deficit.
• The Flyers went through another 5+ minute scoring drought as the Boilers controlled the game on both ends of the floor.
• A drive and acrobatic bucket by graduate student Nicole Stephens ended the skid with 1:21 to go.
• Purdue had a 17-0 points off turnover margin in the first half.

 
3rd Quarter: Dayton 26, Purdue 67

• The second half started similar to how the first ended with the Boilers adding to their advantage.
• The Flyers' first basket of the second half came with 6:54 on the clock via a three from Dawkins to give her five in the game.
• By the media break, the score was 56-17 in favor of the Boilers.
• Now it was Purdue's team to go cold as the physical play by Dayton forced them to a three-minute drought.
• That didn't last long though as the Boilers pushed the gap to forty, 65-22, heading into the final minute.
• Sophomore Kamryn Grant showed some toughness off the bench, taking it to the hoop for her first basket.

 
4th Quarter: Dayton 43, Purdue 80

• O'Riordan followed that up with a three, a steal on the other end, then an offensive rebound and putback for a nice little stretch for the Flyers.
• Fouls piled up for both teams as UD and PU were in the bonus before the midway point.
• Stephens managed to knock down her free throws and added a three to give her five in the quarter.
• The Flyers were putting a good run together defensively once again, holding the Boilers without a field goal for three-plus minutes.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
14 – Dayton scored 14 points in the third quarter, more than it had the entire first half.
7 – Kamryn Grant had a career-high seven points to go with three rebounds and her first three of her career.
25% - Dayton shot 25 percent from the field while Purdue shot 42 percent.
9 – Nicole Stephens led UD with nine points and was 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
6 – Six Flyers had six rebounds each to lead Dayton.
 
UP NEXT
The Flyers will remain on the road to take on Western Michigan next Thursday, Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m. ET.
 
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