HAMMOND, Ind. – The Purdue University Northwest Women's Basketball team hosted the Wayne State University Warriors at the Hammond Fitness & Recreation Center on Saturday, January 18, ending with a Pride loss of 71-59.
After a dry opening minute for both teams, PNW's Danielle Nennig was the first on the board with a quick layup. The first quarter would remain much of a back and forth affair, with Nennig putting up the first six points for PNW until a foul by Kennedy Jackson put the Warriors at the free-throw line and give them a minor lead. A layup from Shae Rhonehouse followed by an and-one opportunity would tie things up at 11-11 just under the 8-minute mark. By the end of the first, the game would be tied at 13-13 with PNW shooting 6-21 from the field and the Warriors shooting 6-12.
Savaya Brockington would open the second quarter with the first made three-point attempt of the game, putting the Pride up 15-13. Rhonehouse would follow Brockington with a 3-pointer of her own. By the end of the half, Wayne State would battle their way back for a tight lead, entering halftime with a score of 30-29. At the conclusion of the first half, the Pride shot 13-37 from the field and 2-13 from behind the arc compared to the Warrior's 13-26 and 1-7, respectively.
PNW would come out quick in the second half, reclaiming the lead with layups from Brittany Barnard and Anjel Galbraith. The Pride would further extend their lead throughout the quarter with additional layups from Galbraith and 3-pointers from Brockington, Nennig and Bayley Goodman. Tayler Vauters blocked two Warriors shots in one possession, leading to a shot-clock violation and Pride ball. In the final minute of the quarter, the Warriors would claw their way on a couple of turnovers, entering the final quarter of the contest with a three-point lead of 54-51.
A foul-heavy final quarter and a handful of missed shots from the Pride would give Wayne State the edge needed to retake the lead, entering the last five minutes of play with an eight-point lead of 61-53. The Pride would ultimately fall with the final score of 71-59. Nennig led PNW with 17 points and four rebounds in her over 30 minutes of play. Galbraith finished with nine points, a season-high eight assists, and four steals as this was the fourth time this season she has played in all 40 minutes.
Rhonehouse, who provided a huge spark off the bench for the Pride in the first half, finished with eight points. Brockington recorded nine points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal.
The Pride will be back in action on Thursday, January 23 when they hit the road to face off against the Lake Superior State Lakers. Tipoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. (CT).
