HAMMOND, Ind. - Nationally-ranked Saint Xavier proved to be too much for the Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball team, as the Peregrines dropped their first home contest of the season, 110-64. The Black and Gold fall to 2-4 on the season with three of those defeats coming against teams that are currently receiving votes in their respective national polls.

The two teams traded buckets throughout the opening eight minutes of the half, as neither team led by more than three points. However, after Tierra Turner’s (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) bucket gave the Peregrines a 17-16 advantage, Saint Xavier would outscore Purdue Calumet by 20 points over the final ten minutes of the period to grab a 55-36 lead at the break.

The Cougars continued their onslaught in the second half, taking advantage of Purdue Calumet’s cold shooting to outscore the Peregrines 55-28 in the final stanza and cruise to their fifth-straight victory.

Purdue Calumet struggled shooting the ball throughout the game, managing just 29.5 percent shooting from the field and 14.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Peregrines’ 64 points was their lowest scoring output of the season, after coming into today’s contest averaging nearly 80 points per contest.

MeMe Harris (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) led the team with 16 points, scoring 15 of those in the opening stanza. Alex Starr (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth) was the only other Peregrine to reach double-figures, tallying 11 points in the contest. Amanda Gaskin (Pendleton Heights, Ind./Pendleton) came off the bench to pull down a career-high 10 rebounds.

Purdue Calumet will host Indiana South Bend this Tuesday, Nov. 24, in the opening game of a men’s/women’s doubleheader. The women’s game is set to tip-off at 5 p.m. CST, with the men’s contest slated to start at 7 p.m. CST.

 

The two teams traded buckets over the first five minutes of the game, before the Pilots used 17 boards off the offensive glass to pull away. The Black and Gold were able to keep it close at the half, 40-31, despite shooting just 30.6 percent from the field.

Bethel’s ability to pull down offensive rebounds continued to be the story of the game, as the Pilots were able to open up a 20-point lead in the second half. However, the Peregrines came to life midway through the final stanza with a big run to cut the lead.

Back-to-back treys from Jennifer Britton’s (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) and MeMe Harris’ (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) bucket capped off the spurt, as Purdue Calumet climbed within seven, 73-66, with just over five minutes left in the contest.

Bethel pushed the lead back to 15 over the next couple minutes, but Purdue Calumet used trifectas by Nicci Desimone (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) and Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka) to once again draw within nine, 85-76. The Pilots held off another late rally by the Black and Gold to escape with an 11-point victory.

Purdue Calumet knocked down nine shots from beyond the arc in the contest, including three from Beck, who poured in a season-high 19 points. Harris’ raced past the Bethel defense on her way to 16 points and four assists, while Tierra Turner (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) recorded her third double-double of the year with 13 points and 12 caroms.

The Peregrines will have a tough challenge this Saturday, November 21, when they host defending NAIA Div. I power St. Xavier at Purdue Calumet’s Fitness and Recreation Center for a 1 p.m. tip-off.

AMHERST

After a see-saw battle throughout much of the first half, the Black and Gold was finally able to break through with a 10-2 run to close out the opening stanza. Jennifer Britton’s trey with 13 ticks left capped off the run, giving Purdue Calumet a 39-31 advantage at halftime.

The Peregrines held the lead throughout the second half, leading by as many as 11 in the period. However, Notre Dame was able to come back and knot the contest at 74 in the final seconds, as Amanda Brown’s trifecta at the buzzer sent the game into overtime. The Falcons would go on to outscore Purdue Calumet 13-5 in the extra period to claim the victory.

The Peregrines lost the contest at the free throw line, where they managed just 33 percent shooting in the game. Notre Dame won the battle of the boards, claiming a commanding 62-33 rebounding advantage on the afternoon.

MeMe Harris once again led the Peregrines, scoring 13 points to go along with a game-best six assists. Stephaine Beck added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Nicci Desimone and Tierra Turner also reached double-figures with 10 points each.

Purdue Calumet travels to Bethel College this Tuesday, Nov. 17, before returning to the friendly confines of the Fitness and Recreation Center next Saturday, Nov. 21, to face NAIA Div. I power St. Xavier. The Bethel contest is set to tip-off at 6 p.m. CST.

AMHERST

The Black and Gold struggled shooting in the first half, knocking down just 11.9 percent of its shot from the field while falling behind early in the contest. The Wildcats would take advantage, grabbing a commanding 57-12 lead at the break.

Despite trailing for the first time this season, the Peregrines kept fighting with an impressive second half. Purdue Calumet shot nearly 60 percent from the field in the half, including 7-of-11 shooting from downtown on its way to 65 points in the final stanza. Unfortunately the damage was already done, as the Peregrines fell to 2-1 on the year.

MeMe Harris (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) led Purdue Calumet with 13 points, while Jennifer Britton (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) and Amanda Gaskin (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights) added 11 points apiece.

The Peregrines racked up 18 assists in the contest, as Nicci Desmione (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial) and Krystal Coleman (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) came off the bench to combine for nine helpers on the night.

The Peregrines will be back in action tomorrow, Nov. 14, when they open up the final day of play at the Lord Amherst Tournament against Notre Dame College of Ohio. Purdue Calumet will look to rebound with a victory over the Falcons, when the teams tip-off at 1 p.m. CST.

HAMMOND, Ind. –

Purdue Calumet controlled the game from tip-off to the final buzzer, opening the contest with a 32-7 run before easing its way to another victory over an outmatched opponent. The Cougars had no answer for the Peregrine’s speed and athleticism, as the Black and Gold ran them into the ground with 28 fast break points.

Once again Purdue Calumet was able to create problems defensively, holding Spring Arbor to 28.1 percent shooting from the field while also forcing 30 turnovers in the contest. The team tallied 15 steals on the day, as seven different players were able to record thefts in the contest.

MeMe Harris (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) led the way for Purdue Calumet, scoring a game-high 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting to go along with her four assists. Tierra Turner (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) continued her outstanding all-around play, recording her second consecutive double-double with 10 points and 10 boards while also adding five assists and three steals. Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka, Ind./ Mishawaka) had a pair of breakaway steals on her way to 16 points in her 22 minutes of action.

Purdue Calumet returns to action next weekend, when it travels to Amherst N.Y. to compete in the Lord Amherst Tournament on the campus of Daemen College. The Peregrines are slated to face Daemen on Friday, Nov. 13, a team that is receiving votes in the NAIA Div. II Coaches Poll. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CST. They will wrap up play at the tournament on Saturday, playing Notre Dame (Ohio) at 1 p.m. CST.

HAMMOND, Ind. –

Purdue Calumet raced out to an early 14-2 advantage, as Jennifer Britton and Tierra Turner combined to score the Black and Gold’s first 14 points. However, the Wolves were able to slowly work their way back into the game over remainder of the half, as the Peregrines lead was trimmed to five, 35-30, heading into the break.

Michigan Dearborn pulled within two, 39-37, in the opening three minutes of the final stanza, but Britton’s back-to-back trifectas would ignite a 19-2 spurt over the next five minutes to help the Peregrines erase any doubts of a comeback. Alex Starr closed out the run with a breakaway layup, giving Purdue Calumet its largest lead of the game, 58-39.

Despite an impressive offensive showing, the key to the Peregrines’ success came on defense, as they scored a whopping 20 points off Michigan Dearborn turnovers. The Black and Gold’s fast-paced attack and pressure defense forced 28 mishaps by the Wolves, a 17-turnover difference between the two teams.

Five players reached double-figures for Purdue Calumet, who reached the 70-point plateau for the 20th time in their last 21 contests. Britton got all of her team-high 15 points from beyond the arc, as the junior guard knocked down five treys in the game. Turner recorded a double-double in her first collegiate game, scoring 14 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.

MeMe Harris scored 11 of her 14 points in the second half to go along with her game-high six assists, while Stephaine Beck added 12 points and three steals. Starr rounded out the Peregrines in double-digits, finishing with 11 points off the bench.

Purdue Calumet will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 7, when it takes on Spring Arbor during Homecoming festivities. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the Peregrines’ men’s team set to take on Indiana Northwest immediately after the conclusion of the women’s contest.

HAMMOND, Ind. –

The Peregrines are coming off last season’s five-game turnaround and with three of the top four scorers returning from an offense that topped the CCAC with 75.2 points per game there is good reason to be excited about the direction that the program is heading.

Head coach Tom Megyesi‘s team will aim to capitalize on the returning talent and climb the ranks of the CCAC this season, after finishing fourth in the conference a year ago with a 5-5 mark.

The strength of the team will lie in its guard play, as Purdue Calumet returns its entire backcourt from last season. All-conference performers Jennifer Britton and MeMe Harris headline PUC’s talented group of guards, which also includes standouts Stephaine Beck and Nicci Desimone.

In Britton, Purdue Calumet has one of the CCAC’s top three-point threats, as the junior led the conference with 87 trifectas on the season while knocking down an impressive 42.2 percent of her long-range attempts. She will be given plenty of opportunities from the dynamic Harris, arguably the conference’s top point guard. The 5-foot-5 junior ranked second in the conference in assists in 2008-09, while leading the team in that category 21 times and eclipsing the 10-assist plateau in three contests.

Beck is back for her second campaign with the Peregrines, after proving herself as one of the top scoring threats in the CCAC. The Mishawaka, Ind. native led all conference freshmen in scoring with 12.6 points per game and ranked third among all CCAC athletes with 58 three-point field goals. She is joined by fellow sophomore Nicci Desimone, who averaged 6.7 points per game while finishing sixth in the conference with 45 trifectas. Desimone also gives PUC a capable passer, as she finished second on the team and third among CCAC freshmen with 55 assists last season.

Megyesi also returns experienced center Sara Keilman, as the 6-foot senior gives the team good size and scoring ability in the post. Keilman averaged 6.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last season, while shooting 48.7 percent from the field. Back-up point guard Krystal Coleman comes back for sophomore season, after dishing out 25 assists in her first year at Purdue Calumet.

The Peregrines will also be helped by a talented incoming class, headlined by Tierra Turner. The 5-foot-8 guard will be slotted as a probable starter, as her rebounding and scoring abilities will prove to be invaluable for PUC.

Fellow frosh Amanda Gaskin and Alex Starr will also see plenty of playing time this season. Gaskin adds depth in the post, where her energy and speed will make an immediate impact. Starr, coming from a very successful Plymouth High School program, gives Purdue Calumet yet another outside threat while providing the ability to play a number of positions. Newcomers Samekia Coaxum, Savannah Hauter, Natalie Sovich and Alyssa Trinidad add impressive depth to an already potent Peregrines’ roster.

Purdue Calumet opens the season at the Fitness and Recreation Center, when it faces Michigan Dearborn on Thursday, Nov. 5. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CST.

Seated (L to R): Ryan, Brooklyn and Tracy Short. Standing (L to R): Steve Burkhart, Scott Bumgardner and Randy Hosier.

WABASH, Ind. – Purdue University Calumet head coach Tom Megyesi officially inked the first recruit of his 2010 recruiting class last weekend, as Brooklyn Short signed a national letter of intent to continue her basketball career with the Peregrines.

Short, a 5-foot-5 point guard, averaged 19.7 points and 2.5 assists with 70 three-point field goals last season, and will come into her senior season ranked second on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,128 career points. She led her team to a school-record 20 wins a year ago, while helping Wabash secure its second sectional championship in school history. The Wabash Plain Dealer Player of the Year received first team all-county and all-conference honors, while also earning IBCA Underclass All-State Honorable Mention recognition and an invitation to the 2009 IBCA/IHSAA Girls Top 100 Underclass Showcase.

Short is a recipient of Purdue Calumet’s prestigious Chancellor’s Scholar award, compiling a 3.9 grade-point average while ranking second in her high school class.

The Peregrines are set to kick-off the 2009-10 campaign on Nov. 5 against Michigan Dearborn at the Fitness and Recreation Center, where they went 9-7 a year ago. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CST.