FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Interstat) — In a game defined by turnovers and missed opportunities, the Purdue Boilermakers fell just short against the Fort Wayne Mastodons, 68-67, in a non-conference women’s basketball thriller Wednesday night at Gates Sports Center.

A back-and-forth affair saw 10 lead changes and was ultimately decided in the final seconds. With just six seconds remaining, Fort Wayne’s Rylee Bess sank a clutch 3-pointer to put the Mastodons ahead for good. Purdue’s final attempt, a jump shot from Hila Karsh, missed its mark as time expired, sealing the upset victory for the home team before a crowd of 1,158.

The game was a tale of contrasting efficiencies. While Purdue shot a better percentage from the field, 47.4% to Fort Wayne’s 48.0%, the Mastodons capitalized heavily on the Boilermakers’ mistakes. Purdue committed 24 turnovers, which Fort Wayne converted into 24 points. In stark contrast, the Boilermakers managed only nine points off of Fort Wayne’s 16 turnovers.

Free throws also proved pivotal. Fort Wayne attempted 23 free throws, making 15, while Purdue went to the line only eight times, converting six. The Mastodons also held a narrow edge in points in the paint, 32-28.

Fort Wayne was led by a dominant performance from Jordan Reid. The New Palestine, Indiana, native played 38 minutes and scored a game-high 21 points while adding seven rebounds. She was complemented by Lili Krasovec of Budapest, Hungary, who scored 15 points and recorded four rebounds and a block. Alana Nelson added 14 points for the Mastodons, and Lauren Lee facilitated the offense with five assists.

For Purdue, Hila Karsh from Rishon Leziyon, Israel, led the scoring with 18 points. Kiki Smith of Topeka, Kansas, contributed 16 points, six rebounds, and two assists, while Tara Daye from Newark, New Jersey, added 13 points and six rebounds.

The game began with Fort Wayne establishing an early lead, ending the first quarter up 20-17. Purdue clawed back in the second quarter, outscoring the Mastodons 14-12 to narrow the gap to 32-31 at halftime. The Boilermakers came out of the break with their best period, a 22-point third quarter, to take a 53-51 lead into the final frame. The fourth quarter was a tense, defensive battle, setting the stage for Bess’s game-winning shot.

With the loss, Purdue’s record moves to 2-1 on the young season. The Boilermakers had previously defeated Fairleigh Dickinson and Eastern Illinois. Fort Wayne, which had suffered narrow losses to Xavier and West Virginia, earned its first victory to improve to 1-2.

Purdue looks to rebound on the road against Kentucky on Tuesday, November 18. Fort Wayne will host Southern Illinois this Saturday, November 15.