Purdue Women’s Basketball Gears Up for Big Ten Home Opener Against Illinois
Purdue women’s basketball returns to action Sunday, january 7th, hosting Illinois in its Big Ten Conference home opener. The Boilermakers, coming off a decisive victory over Jackson state, aim to continue their strong start to the season as they enter conference play.Fans can catch the game live at noon ET on the Big Ten Network, with Jack Kizer and Sydney Parrish on the call, or tune in to 95.3 BOB FM for radio coverage with Tim Newton and Jane schott.
Boilermakers Conclude Non-Conference Play on a high Note
Purdue concluded its non-conference schedule with an remarkable 8-3 record, culminating in a 93-62 win over jackson state on December 21st. This victory pushed the team’s overall record to 8-4 on the year. The offensive performance was particularly noteworthy, with four Boilermakers scoring in double figures. Tara Daye and Kiki Smith lead the charge,becoming the first Purdue duo this season to each surpass 20 points in a single game,scoring 22 and 20 points respectively.
Home Court Advantage Fuels Purdue’s Success
A key factor in Purdue’s strong start has been its dominance at home. All eight of the Boilermakers’ victories this season have come at Mackey arena, matching the best home start under head coach Katie Gearlds. The team has consistently exceeded 80 points in six of those games, a performance level that ranks third-highest for a Boilermaker squad in the last 25 years.
Individual Performances Shine
Several players are demonstrating remarkable form. Daye, currently leading Purdue with 12.5 points per game, is on the verge of surpassing her total points from her first three collegiate years combined, having already scored 150 points this season compared to 204 previously. Smith’s performance against Jackson State was particularly remarkable. She earned a spot on the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll after scoring 20 points with a perfect shooting percentage – 5-for-5 from the field, 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. This historic performance makes her the first Boilermaker to ever achieve 20 points without missing a shot, and only the sixth player nationally to do so this season.
Defensive Prowess and Team Play
purdue’s success isn’t solely based on offense. The Boilermakers have consistently stifled opponents,holding four non-conference teams under 50 points – their highest such total since the 2016-17 season. Over the past five years, Purdue boasts an 8-0 record when limiting opponents to 50 points or fewer and a 36-5 record when holding them to 60 or less. The team’s recent form has been particularly strong,winning its last three games by an average of 37 points,fueled by four players averaging double-figure scoring. Moreover, Purdue is second in the Big Ten in defensive rebound percentage (76.7%), ranking 10th nationally. The Boilermakers’ commitment to ball movement is also evident, having dished out 20 or more assists in four games this season, winning all of those contests.
Layden-Zay Closing in on Record
Fifth-year guard Madison Layden-Zay is enjoying a career-best start from three-point range, having connected on 26 triples through the first 12 games. She currently ranks seventh in the Big Ten with a 44.8% shooting percentage from deep. Layden-Zay is within striking distance of the Purdue career record for three-pointers made, needing just 12 more to surpass Karissa McLaughlin’s mark of 244, and six to tie Katie Gearlds for fourth all-time.
Looking Ahead: NET Ranking and Conference play
Purdue concluded non-conference play ranked 57th in the NCAA Evaluation tool (NET), marking the second-highest ranking during the Gearlds era and the third-best in the last decade. As the Boilermakers transition into Big Ten play,they will look to build on this momentum and continue their impressive performance against conference rivals.
