LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Kara Dunn scored 29 points to lead Southern California to an 83-57 victory over Purdue in a nonconference women’s basketball game Sunday at Galen Center. The Women of Troy took command early, leading 42-27 at halftime, and maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the second half. Dunn, a guard from Dallas, Georgia, reached her point total in 32 minutes. Londynn Jones added 15 points and Jazzy Davidson had 13 points and six assists for Southern California, which improved to 11-7. Tara Daye led the Boilermakers with 21 points. Purdue, which fell to 10-8, shot poorly from the field and was outscored 40-24 in the paint. Southern California also capitalized on turnovers, scoring 30 points off Purdue’s mistakes. Attendance was 5,464.

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Kara Dunn scored 29 points and Southern California used a dominant first half to cruise past Purdue 83-57 in a nonconference women’s basketball game Sunday at Galen Center. The Women of Troy, snapping a three-game losing streak, improved to 11-7 overall. The Boilermakers fell to 10-8. Dunn, a 5-foot-11 guard from Dallas, Georgia, was efficient and explosive, hitting 11 field goals including three from beyond the arc in 32 minutes of action. Her performance anchored a Southern California offense that seized control early and never relented, building a 42-27 halftime lead. The most critical stretch of the game came late in the first quarter and throughout the second, where Southern California’s defensive pressure ignited its transition game. After Purdue’s Tara Daye hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 6-6 with 7:58 left in the opening period, the Women of Troy embarked on a decisive 15-2 run. The surge was fueled by turnovers and quick scores, including five points from Dunn and capped by a Londynn Jones-assisted layup from Laura Williams that made it 21-8. Purdue struggled to handle Southern California’s defensive intensity, committing 10 first-half turnovers which the Women of Troy converted into 18 points. Conversely, Southern California’s offense was crisp, assisting on 13 of its 16 first-half field goals while pounding the ball inside for 24 paint points before the break. The Boilermakers showed brief resistance early in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to 13 points on a couple of occasions, but could not sustain any momentum. Each Purdue push was met with an immediate Southern California response, often from Dunn or guard Jazzy Davidson, who finished with 13 points and six assists. Southern California put the game fully out of reach with a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter. A Dunn layup, followed by a Jones 3-pointer and another Dunn driving score, extended the lead to 71-52 with 7:42 remaining, prompting a Purdue timeout that did little to alter the contest’s trajectory. Daye led Purdue with 21 points. Kiki Smith added 15 for the Boilermakers, who shot under 40% from the field and were outscored 40-24 in the paint. Avery Gordon provided a boost off the bench with 10 points. For Southern California, Jones contributed 15 points and three assists, while Malia Samuels orchestrated the offense with six assists. The Women of Troy shared the ball effectively, finishing with 24 assists on 32 made field goals and scoring 30 points off 19 Purdue turnovers. The game, organized by the Big Ten Conference as part of its annual slate of cross-conference challenges, drew an attendance of 5,464. Southern California, which entered as a heavy favorite according to predictive metrics, outperformed the pregame over/under line of 128.5 points with the teams combining for 140. Purdue continues its West Coast swing with a game at UCLA on Wednesday. Southern California hits the road for its next contest, visiting Michigan State on Thursday.

Preview: Purdue Boilermakers at Southern California Women of Troy LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in Big Ten play will meet when the Purdue Boilermakers visit the Southern California Women of Troy on Sunday afternoon at Galen Center. Both teams enter with identical 10-7 overall records. Purdue (10-7) arrives after a 78-72 overtime victory over Washington on Jan. 11, snapping a three-game skid. Southern California (10-7) looks to halt a four-game losing streak, most recently a 62-55 home loss to Maryland on Thursday. The matchup features two of the conference’s top scorers. Purdue is led by guard Madison Layden-Zay, who is averaging 16.2 points over her last five games. She scored 19 points and dished four assists in the overtime win against Washington. For the Women of Troy, guard Kara Dunn has been a bright spot during the slump, averaging 20.0 points over her last four contests, including a 27-point effort at Minnesota on Jan. 11. Purdue’s recent success has been fueled by balanced scoring. Alongside Layden-Zay, Tara Daye also scored 19 points against Washington, and forward Lana McCarthy added 14 points and three blocks. The Boilermakers will need that depth to counter a Southern California defense that held non-conference opponents to an average of 52.4 points in five December wins. Southern California’s struggles have coincided with a tough stretch to open its conference schedule, with three of its four recent losses coming by six points or fewer. Beyond Dunn, freshman Jazzy Davidson provides a secondary playmaking threat, averaging 12 points and five assists against Maryland. The Boilermakers have shown resilience on the road this season, including a win at Wisconsin on Jan. 8. Southern California aims to rediscover its defensive identity and protect its home court after two straight losses at Galen Center. Sunday’s contest is the only scheduled meeting between the programs this regular season. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. PST.