Monday's state basketball: No. 7 UM women dominate Purdue, 79-66

Ann Arbor, Mich. — Naz Hillmon scored 32 points and had 12 rebounds, and No. 7 Michigan dominated the paint in a 79-66 win over Purdue on Monday night.

Leigha Brown added 13 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists for the Wolverines (17-2, 8-1 Big Ten), and Emily Kiser contributed 12 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists.

The Wolverines took control of the game a little more than halfway through the first quarter and never relinquished it, leading Purdue by as much as 17.

“We were really able to expose them and take advantage of the mismatches that we had inside,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “We knew coming into the game that that was where we were going to have an advantage.”

Rickie Woltman was the leading scorer for the Boilermakers (12-7, 3-5) with 11 points. She also had a team-high seven rebounds.

Purdue’s Jeanae Terry made a jumper with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter to cut Michigan’s lead to 40-38. The Wolverines responded quickly, with Kiser making a layup, but Purdue drew within two points again about a minute later with a layup from Woltman.

Maddie Nolan then hit a pair of 3-pointers in quick succession, effectively halting the Boilermakers’ momentum.

“It’s just the little things that we control,” Purdue coach Katie Gearlds said. “We cut it to two, then give up two 3s to Maddie Nolan in transition, then we cut it to three and we give up an offensive rebound, put back and-ones, little things like that are in our control, and then we’re right there.”

It was Michigan’s fifth straight victory and its third straight win over Purdue. The Wolverines last lost to the Boilermakers in January 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Monday's other games

Bowling Green 71, (at) Eastern Michigan 60: Areanna Combs led the Eagles (4-10, 1-6 MAC) with 21 points, Ce'Nara Skanes added nine points and Danielle Rainey had eight points. Kadie Hempfling led the Falcons (8-7) with 19 points.