With just under 10 seconds left and Boston College women’s basketball down a point, Nicole Boudreau hoisted up a 3-pointer that could reclaim the lead for the Eagles. After watching multiple leads evaporate, the shot needed to go in to avoid wasting a spectacular first half. It did go in, and the scoreboard read 58-56, BC over Purdue University, with only 7.4 seconds left. The Boilermakers could not get a shot off before the buzzer, and the Eagles left Mackey Arena with another win.
The Eagles (6-1) and the Boilermakers (5-2) entered the day with remarkably similar resumes—both teams entered the matchup with the same record and were fresh off Top 25 losses. But only one could win, and in a hard fought battle, BC came out on top.
The first half showcased a spectacular defensive effort by the Eagles. Purdue made only four field goals in the first quarter and only nine the entire first half. In contrast, BC shot over 60 percent, including 40 percent from beyond the arc. The Eagles also physically dominated the Boilermakers, with 18 of the first 21 points coming from the paint. Freshman center Mariella Fasoula, in her third start, scored 23 points and added nine rebounds and two blocks.
Despite a dismal showing from the Boilermaker offense, BC could not generate any separation. Purdue’s excellent offensive rebounding kept them in the game—the Boilermakers grabbed twice as many boards as the Eagles in the first half. They also ran into foul trouble, as Purdue had four times as many free throw attempts as the Eagles. Lastly, BC just kept losing the ball. Steals, shot clock violations, and travels led to 12 turnovers in the first half alone. While the Eagles cut down that number to only five in the second half, this game could have been out of hand by halftime.
A second quarter 7-0 run saw BC burst ahead and finally gain some separation. But in the last three and a half minutes of play, the Boilermakers held the Eagles scoreless, pulling them within five points.
It was the third quarter that saw Purdue storm back to life, erasing the deficit. Bridget Perry had eight points, and two of her teammates reached double digit points, as BC did its best to hold off the onslaught. With six minutes left in the fourth, the Boilermakers finally took their first lead of the game. But to their credit, the Eagles clawed their way back, and with Boudreau’s last second heroics, managed to walk away with the win.
Other than Fasoula, no scorer stood out. Rather, the Eagles focused more on team play, as evidenced by their 22 assists. Kelly Hughes, the team’s sharpshooter, was held to just nine points and one 3-pointer by an energetic Purdue defense that did not give her many chances to shoot. It was also a very promising performance, as the Eagles beat a favored team away from home despite what might be called a sloppy performance.
Featured Image by Drew Hoo / Heights Editor
