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PUERTO AVENTURAS, Mexico – Outscoring Purdue by 14 points during a 13-minute stretch within the second half, the Northeastern women's basketball team was unable to chase down the Boilermakers on Friday afternoon as the Huskies were defeated, 79-54, during their second game at the 2016 Cancun Challenge.
 
Five different NU scorers tallied at least eight points during the contest, most notably Francesca Sally, who led the squad with 10 points and eight rebounds. Fellow starters Zoe Zwerling and Jess Genco each racked up nine points apiece for the Huskies, while Briana Schnare paced Northeastern's bench with eight points, setting a new career scoring high in the process.
 
Purdue (3-3) witnessed four of its players notch 12 points or more on Friday as the Boilermakers shot an impressive, 53 percent from the field (28-of-53). Ashley Morrissette paced Purdue with 16 points, earning a double-double courtesy of a 10-rebound afternoon. Dominique McBryde scored six of her 14 points from the foul line, while Bridget Perry and Dominique Oden finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
 
Northeastern (2-4) equaled Purdue in 3-point field goals, posting an identical seven-for-17 mark from lone range, despite converting only 33 percent of its shots overall. The Boilermakers also outgained the Huskies in free throws, 16-5.
 
QUARTER RECAPS
 
• First Quarter: Gabby Giacone made her post presence known during the opening minutes of the game, tying the game early at 2-2 with a jumper and hauling in two rebounds, the latter leading to a basket by Francesca Sally that put the Huskies up by two. Zoe Zwerling sank a 3-pointer from the left wing with 6:38 showing on the clock, but shortly after, Dominique McBryde made two free throws to knot the game at 7-7. From there, Purdue assembled a 20-4 run during the final 6:08 of the quarter, limiting the Huskies to just two field goals.
 
• Second Quarter: Tightening its defense, Northeastern kept Purdue scoreless for more than three minutes as the second quarter began, inching four points closer during the stretch to pull within 12 points at 27-15. Zwerling answered Ashley Morrissette's 3-pointer with one of her own with 6:09 to play in the half, while Te'Erica Eason nailed a jumper that forced Purdue into a timeout following the Huskies' quick, 5-0 spurt. Despite exiting the timeout at 5:21 trailing, 30-20, the Huskies succumbed to the Boilermakers' 12-2 run before Purdue took a 44-27 lead into the locker room.
 
• Third Quarter: After the Boilermakers had scored nine unanswered points to begin the second half, Northeastern began to catch fire. Jess Genco knocked down a 3-pointer at the 7:07 mark, following through with another long-distance make two minutes later. Briana Schnare worked her way to two baskets that brought the Huskies' deficit to under 20 points, while Genco's third 3-pointer of the quarter cut Purdue's lead to 14 with a minute to play.
 
• Fourth Quarter: Schnare sandwiched a pair of baskets around a successful jumper by Zwerling, trimming down the Boilermakers' edge to just 13 points with 6:26 remaining in regulation. After conceding a fast-break layup to Morrissette, Eason hit a 3-point strike that tightened the game to 12 points at 65-53 with 4:38 left to go. However, Giacone's free throw with 3:22 clock would be the final point NU would see as Purdue raced down the stretch to collect the victory.
 
UP NEXT
 
Northeastern will meet Wichita State on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 11 a.m. during the Huskies' third and final round-robin game at the 2016 Cancun Challenge.