ELGIN, Ill. - Finishing the final 2:23 on a scoring drought, Judson University (5-11/0-2) lost their momentum as Purdue-Calumet (8-9/3-0) came storming back to take the game, 94-88. Aubrey Parsons gave Judson a one-point lead, 88-87, with 2:23 to go in the game but then the Eagles missed their next four shots and had a turnover. Judson had as large as a 13-point lead in the game.
Collecting her 27th career double-double, Alicia Rovertoni led Judson with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Four other players finished in double figures as Aubrey Parson had 18, Kirstin Johns and Kristi Siemers 12, and Lindsey Jordan 11. Stephanie Beck had 22 points to lead all scorers from Purdue-Calumet.
Judson lived and died by the three-pointer as they shot 53% (8-of-15) in the first half but fell to just 25% (4-of-16) in the second half. They finished making 12-of-13 (38%) from beyond the arc. They also shot 44% from the floor. Purdue-Calumet had the most impressive numbers as they made 50% of their shots, hit 54% of their three-pointers, but was only 58% from the stripe.
Claiming a six-point lead in the first three minutes of the game, Judson looked as if they had the game under control. In this first half, Judson shot 51% from the floor and 53% from the three-point line.
Purdue-Calumet came within one, 15-14, before Judson erupted with a 17-7 run to take an 11-point lead, 32-21 (11:49), in three and a half minutes. Both teams then went over two and half minutes without making a basket until Purdue-Calumet's Beck canned a jumper to cut the lead to seven, 32-25 (8:57). Bringing the lead down to five just 30 seconds later, Judson kept their distance. With 4:11 to go in the half, Purdue-Calumet was within six, 41-35, but Judson dashed all hopes of getting the lead with a 7-0 run in over two minutes for the 13-point lead, 48-35. Purdue-Calumet did bring the lead down to seven, 53-46, at the half.
It was a tail of two halves as Judson's offense started to sputter in the second half and Purdue-Calumet's heated up. Purdue-Calumet improved their shooting by four percent in the second half. Judson had the lead for the first seven minutes of the half until Sara Keilman hit a layup to give Purdue-Calumet their first lead since the opening bucket, 67-66 (12:18). From that point there were four lead changes and three ties. Judson retook the lead, 70-69, on a Rovertoni three-pointer just over a minute later and had as large as a four-point lead, 79-75, with 7:50 left in the game.
Purdue-Calumet went on an 8-3 run after Judson's four-point lead to go in front by one, 83-82, with 5:34 left in the game. Each team exchanged leads again until Parson's shot to give Judson a one-point lead with 2:23 left. That was the final shot Judson made to end the game.
Judson will now travel to Indiana to face Calumet College on Saturday, January 16th, at 1:00 p.m.
