Nov. 18, 2005

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Jodi Howell scored nine of her 14 points during a 28-5 first-half run, leading No. 19 Purdue to an 85-59 victory over Butler on Friday night.

Aya Traore also had 14 points, and Erin Lawless added 12 for the Boilermakers (1-0). Ellen Hamilton led Butler (0-1) with 19 points.

Howell, who was Indiana's high school Miss Basketball last season, didn't start in her Purdue debut but took over midway through the first half when the Boilermakers began pulling away from the Division I-AA Bulldogs with ease.

The freshman guard was fouled on her first shot, a 3-point attempt, and made all three free throws to give Purdue a 23-9 lead. Then, after a fast-break basket by Butler's Jackie Closser, Howell's former high school teammate, the Bulldogs managed only three free throws over the next 6 minutes.

Howell hit two 3-pointers during that span, the second one starting a 15-0 run that gave Purdue its biggest lead of the half at 43-14. Candace Bain and Hamilton hit 3-pointers for Butler in the closing minutes of the half, but Katie Gearlds scored a basket and Howell finished the period with two more free throws for a 47-20 lead at the break.

Five of Butler's first eight baskets of the second half were 3-pointers, including four by Hamilton, and the Bulldogs cut the lead to 20 points before another 3-pointer by Howell with 4 minutes to go.

Closser added 10 points for Butler.

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