University of Purdue frustrated the Villanova Wildcats on Wednesday night, beating them 80-74 to win the First Four game at the 2019 Jimmy V. Center.
Freshman guard Dakota Mathias led the Boilermakers with 21 points while Cheyanne Wallace and Dakota Mathias both scored 10.
Brittany Mallory led Villanova with 22 points. Mikal Bridges chipped in with 21 points while Corey Sanders chipped in with 13.
The win puts the Boilermakers in the third round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. Purdue will take on Florida State, who defeated Stanford, 73-64, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
While Purdue went into the First Four matchup in top seed Indianapolis, a late-season slide cost the Boilermakers a chance to win the Big Ten Tournament. The last time the Boilermakers came away from a tournament without a win was back in 2011. That’s when Purdue was led by head coach Sharon Versyp.
Purdue made a statement to the college basketball world with its 12-2 start. The Boilermakers found themselves on the hot seat during the lull.
Then things started turning around late in January when Pendergraph decided to “put it all on the line,” as a tweet from her Twitter account read. Purdue is 15-1 since. The Boilermakers, who won the National Invitation Tournament in 2015, now are in search of their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2006.
Wednesday’s win comes after the second round win for Purdue that saw them upset Maryland.
Purdue will face Florida State in the third round on Friday.