Five Players Reach Double Figures to Lead Purdue Calumet to 97-83 Win at Indiana Tech

PUC-PeregrinsFive players scored in double figures to help the No. 10 Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball team overcome a first-half deficit and defeat host Indiana Tech Thursday in a nonleague contest, 97-83.

The Peregrines (4-0) remained unbeaten on the season as junior Patrice McBee (Monterey, Ind./Culver Community) led all scorers with 22 points on 10 of 12 shooting and pulled down a 14 rebounds for the second straight contest. The 6-foot-3 center added four blocks and three steals, scoring 16 of her 22 in the second half after Purdue Calumet trailed at the half, 53-48.

Jada Buggs (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart) added 20 points (10 of 18) and six assists, Cassidy Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) added 19 points (6 of 12), five boards and three blocks, Kami Graber (Nashville, Ind./Brown County) had 18 points (7 of 12) and Darien Thompson (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) added 10 points (4 of 10), as the Peregrines shot a scorching 56.3 percent from the field for the game.

The Warriors (0-2) opened the game with their own hot shooting, as Indiana Tech, led by Taylor Seiss (3-for-5) and Baylee Rinehart (4-for-5), made 6 of 7 from 3-point land (85.7 percent) to take a five-point first half lead. But the Peregrines opened the second half on a 10-2 run on two buckets by Deno and a layups by McBee, Graber and Buggs to take a three-point lead, 58-55, with 16:02 remaining.

With the Peregrines’ lead six with nine minutes remaining (73-67), McBee scored six straight points – with the help of two Buggs’ assist and an assist from Graber – to help push the lead to nine, (81-72), with 6:04 to play. Two Buggs’ layups, a McBee bucket and a 10-for-10 showing at the charity stripe down the stretch helped Purdue Calumet seal the win in the final minutes.

Deno (4-for-4), Graber (4-for-4), and McBee (2-for-2) helped the Peregrines remain perfect at the line late.

Graber dished out a season-best nine assists and added three steals and freshman Katie Wampler (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) added six boards and three blocks off the bench.

The Peregrines won the rebound battle, 43-33, and dominated with points in the paint, 70-36.

Purdue Calumet returns to action Saturday when the Peregrines travel to NCAA Divison I Western Michigan for a exhibition contest in Kalamazoo, Mich.