Penn State falls to Purdue on senior night despite career performances

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Lady Lions put up a fight on their Senior Night, but ultimately fell short in a 92-85 loss to the Purdue Boilermakers at the Bryce Jordan Center. Despite tremendous performances from seniors Gabby Elliott and Grace Hall, defensive struggles throughout the contest proved costly against a potent Purdue offense.

Elliott tied her career high with 32 points, a mark that she first reached on New Year’s Day of this year against Iowa, and she shot an impressive 6-for-8 from beyond the arc, while Hall posted a career-high 16 points.

Their efforts kept the Lady Lions in the game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Purdue’s dynamic duo of Rashunda Jones and Sophie Swanson, who combined for 61 points.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get a win for them on their senior night. I know that’s hard. I know that stinks. That’s never the way that you want to go out,” head coach Carolyn Kieger said postgame. “Grace Hall had a career high on senior night, and Gabby tied her career high with 32, but unfortunately, our defensive effort was just not good enough. We gave up 92 points. You have to lock in more than that defensively.”

Penn State battled throughout, cutting Purdue’s lead to just three early in the third quarter. But the Boilermakers responded with an 8-0 run, capped by a clutch three-pointer from Swanson to push their lead to 12. Swanson lit it up from long range all night, totaling 29 points on 10/13 shooting with 5 three-pointers.

By the fourth quarter, Purdue had stretched their advantage to 18 points, leading 83-65 with just over three minutes remaining. The Lady Lions made one final push, going on a 10-0 run, but Purdue’s free-throw shooting in the closing moments secured the win.

Despite the loss, Elliott took pride in the work she’s put into improving her game over the years.

“Really just putting the work in,” Elliott said when asked about her growth as a three-point shooter. “It was something I noticed too, so just putting that work in and really staying focused on it. My coaches and even my teammates helped me and gave me the workouts. That really helped with that.”

Senior Night is always bittersweet, and for players like Ali Campbell, who spent four years in Happy Valley overcoming adversity, the emotions were heavy.

“Ali is somebody who is a testament of grit and resiliency,” Kieger said. “She didn’t have the healthy career that one envisions, but she never made it about herself. Every day she came back, and she chose to come back for Penn State.”

Campbell, who has battled through multiple injuries during her career, reflected on her time with the program with tears in her eyes.

“A lot of emotion right now,” Campbell said. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I just know that my time at Penn State, I’ve enjoyed every second of it. It’s been hard, and I've battled through a lot of adversity, but I’ve had a lot of people behind me, helping me get through the tough times. I can’t thank my teammates and coaches enough for everything.”

Elliott, who also overcame knee injuries in her career, shared similar sentiments.

“Even making it to a Senior Night is a blessing,” she said. “So I’m just happy.”

Despite the loss, the Lady Lions will look to end the season on a high note in their final game. Although the Big Ten Tournament is out of reach, Kieger remains focused on building a culture of resilience.

For players like Campbell, Elliott, and Hall, the bonds they’ve formed are built to last.

“We didn’t always perform on the court the way we wanted to,” Campbell said. “But we have a bond for life, and we love each other on and off the court. I’m just thankful to be a part of this team.”

Penn State will wrap up the season against Rutgers on Sunday, March 2nd.

Dominick Pizzelanti is a second-year student dual-majoring in broadcast journalism and Spanish. To contact him, email dqp5565@psu.edu.