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Higginbotham
Larry Dean

Western Illinois Battles Purdue on National Stage

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Taylor Higginbotham moved into seventh on the Western Illinois program scoring list.

Box Score WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.— The Western Illinois (1-3) women's basketball team fought through foul trouble and hung around in an 81-60 loss at Purdue (3-0) on Thursday night (Nov. 15). 
 
"I thought defensively we did some pretty good things," head coach JD Gravina said. "Offensively we were way too reactive instead of proactive. I don't know if with our inexperience if we know how to have that intensity to play at that kind of level. I thought we did a little better job moving the ball down the floor quickly and getting into attack mode. 

Grace Gilmore opened up the scoring on Western's first possession via a strong drive to the basket finishing with a layup. Taylor Higginbotham hit a turnaround jumper in the lane with 5:45 left in the first quarter as the Leatherneck lead extended to 10-4. The Boilermakers grabbed their first lead of the night on a corner three-ball from by Cassidy Hardin, but at the four-minute mark, Elizabeth Lutz moved Western Illinois back in front, 14-12 with a three from the top of the key. 
 
The game was tied, 17-17 at the end of the first quarter and the Leathernecks came out firing in the second quarter. In the first minute, Taylor Higginbotham dialed up a left wing three to regain the lead and on the next Western possession, she got the hoop and the harm for a 22-19 margin. It became a back and forth game as Lutz put the Leathernecks up 25-23 with 6:32 left. Over the next three minutes, Purdue embarked on an 8-0 run. A three-pointer by Cassidy Hardin of the Boilermakers capped off their scoring for a 36-30 lead over the Leathernecks at halftime. 
 
Annabel Graettinger drilled a mid-range jumper off an assist by Grace Gilmore in the opening minute of the second half and Olivia Kaufmann flipped in a layup to cut the deficit to 38-34 with 6:39 to go in the third quarter, but that would be the closest Western Illinois would get the rest of the way. The Boilermakers went on a quick 12-0 run to create their first double-digit lead of the ballgame. Purdue worked its way to a 62-46 advantage after three quarters. 
 
With 6:40 left in the fourth quarter, Kyra Washington muscled inside for a hard-earned two points while being fouled as the Leathernecks tried to chip away, behind 66-50. Although the Leathernecks made it tough for the Boilermakers to adjust, they came up short by a final score of 81-60. 
 
Higginbotham led Western Illinois with 14 points and six rebounds while Grace Gilmore also scored in double figures with 12. Purdue turned over the ball 19 times against the purple and gold defense. 

The Leathernecks head to Indianapolis to take on Big East opponent Butler inside Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. (CT). 

PLAYER NOTES:
-Taylor Higginbotham passed Tiffany Cornelius (2001-2004) for seventh on the program career scoring list and has scored 1,422 career points...
-Eight of the ten players that saw action scored...
-Higginbotham recorded her 75th career double figures scoring game...
-Grace Gilmore recorded her third career double figures scoring game...
 
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