Purdue women's basketball suffered a decisive defeat against the sixth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Sunday night, falling 102-58 at Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers struggled to find their footing against the experienced and talented Notre Dame squad, who have now won nine straight games in the in-state rivalry.

Purdue Outmatched by Notre Dame's Offensive Firepower

Slow Start Dooms Boilermakers

The Boilermakers got off to a sluggish start, failing to score a field goal until the 6:49 mark of the first quarter. During this time, Notre Dame jumped out to a commanding 9-0 lead, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Preseason All-American Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles combined to outscore Purdue by 10 points in the opening 10 minutes, guiding the Fighting Irish to a 28-7 lead after the first quarter.Purdue's shooting woes continued throughout the first half, as they connected on just 2 of 22 field goal attempts. The Boilermakers also struggled to take care of the ball, committing 8 turnovers in the opening quarter, which Notre Dame capitalized on to extend their lead.

Notre Dame's Offensive Dominance

The Fighting Irish's offensive onslaught continued throughout the game, as they maintained a commanding lead for the duration of the night. Purdue's brief offensive surges were quickly extinguished by Notre Dame's stifling defense and their own turnover issues.Notre Dame's lead grew to as much as 45 points in the fourth quarter, as they went on a 15-0 run to put the game out of reach. The Fighting Irish's ability to capitalize on Purdue's mistakes, combined with their own efficient scoring, proved to be too much for the Boilermakers to overcome.

Purdue's Offensive Struggles

Despite the lopsided score, Purdue did have some individual bright spots on the offensive end. Ella Collier and Destini Lombard led the way for the Boilermakers, scoring 11 and 13 points, respectively. Reagan Bass also reached double figures with 10 points.However, the Boilermakers' freshman duo of Lana McCarthy and Kendall Puryear struggled, combining for just 8 points and 8 rebounds. Purdue's overall shooting woes, coupled with 22 turnovers, proved to be too much to overcome against the talented Notre Dame squad.

Looking Ahead for Purdue

The loss to Notre Dame marks Purdue's first defeat of the season, and head coach Katie Gearlds will look to rally her team as they prepare to face IU Indianapolis on Thursday. The Boilermakers will need to regroup and address their offensive and defensive shortcomings if they hope to bounce back and regain their early-season momentum.