The Gopher women's basketball team lost for the sixth time in seven games, shooting just over 31 percent in the second half and falling to Purdue 64-53 Thursday at Williams Arena.
The Gophers (13-6, 2-6 Big Ten) led by a point at halftime before the Boilermakers took control of the game with a 13-3 third-quarter run. Purdue never trailed again in picking up its seventh straight win.
Destiny Pitts had 19 points for the Gophers, who pulled to within four points twice in the fourth quarter but never got closer.
"It doesn’t feel good right now, at all, but they’re in there every day, working and shooting," said first-year Gopher coach Lindsay Whalen. "They’re sticking together, and all those things you want, so at some point hopefully the shots will fall and the flood gates will just open for everybody."
Karizza McLaughlin led the Boilermakers (15-6, 6-2) with 17 points.
The Gophers, who started out the season with 12 straight wins and were ranked as high as 12th in one poll, are now mired in 12th place in the Big Ten with a 2-6 conference mark. Only Wisconsin and Illinois have worse league records than the Gophers.
“Stay the course, and on to the next one," said Whalen. "We’re making strides and we’re making progress. It doesn’t feel like it right now, but throughout these times there are areas you can see we’re making progress, and that’s a really good sign for us."
Next up for the Gophers is Monday's home game against Ohio State.