Big Rapids, Mich. – After a solid first quarter, the Purdue Northwest women's basketball team could not maintain its early offensive momentum and fell 83-47 to Ferris State University (Mich.) Thursday night in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action at Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich.  The Pride trailed 23-20 after the opening period, but struggled to get shots to fall over the final three quarters.  

Sophomore Shae Rhonehouse (Fremont, Ind./Fremont), freshman Taylor Vauters (Rockville, Ind./Riverton Parke) and sophomore Skylar Ostrowski (Dekalb, Ind./Dekalb) each scored seven points for PNW in the road loss.  Senior Ellie Michalski (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) added six points for the Pride.  Purdue Northwest shot just 27 percent (14-for-52) from the field in the game.           

After the Pride fell behind 6-0 in the game's opening minute, Rhonehouse heated up scoring seven of PNW's first nine points and providing the assist on the other basket to put her team up, 9-8, with 6:04 remaining in the first quarter.  The game stayed tight for the rest of the period with FSU holding a 23-20 edge heading into the second quarter. 

A three-pointer by senior Jessica Kiser (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) and a lay-up by junior Michaela Kikendall (Morristown, Ind./Morristown) early in the second quarter kept things close, but PNW went cold over the final 7:42 of the half and Ferris State took control building a 46-29 halftime lead. 

The offensive woes continued for the Pride in the third quarter as FSU pushed its advantage as high as 27 points and took a 63-40 lead into the fourth quarter.  It was more of the same in the final frame as Pride failed to score in the period until the final two minutes of regulation. 

Purdue Northwest (4-20 overall/3-16 GLIAC) heads to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., for its regular season finale on Saturday, February 24, against Lake Superior State University.  The GLIAC road game is scheduled for a noon CT start at Bud Cooper Gymnasium.