Tickets / Watch / Listen / Game Notes
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's basketball team opens postseason play Wednesday, heading to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for their 25th Big Ten Tournament. The Boilermakers have had more success than any team in the conference in the tournament, owning 42 all-time Big Ten Tournament wins and nine tournament titles, both top marks all-time. Purdue opens the 2019 tournament as the No. 11 seed and will face 14th-seeded Illinois at 4 p.m., live on the Big Ten Network.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Karissa McLaughlin, So.
Dominique Oden, Jr.
Ae'Rianna Harris, Jr.
Tamara Farquhar, So.
Kayana Traylor, Fr.
LOOKING BACK
The Boilermakers wrapped up the regular season with a 73-51 loss at Indiana, unable to find the bottom of the bucket as they hit only 30.4 percent from the field. Purdue finished 2-of-17 from 3-point range and an uncharateristic 15-of-25 at the free throw line. Harris led Purdue with 19 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, while Traylor added 12 points and a career-high four steals.
NEARBY NAPTOWN
Indianapolis has been good to the Boilermakers in their annual postseason conference tournament as Purdue owns a 28-8 all-time in Bankers Life Fieldhouse at the Big Ten Tournament (previously Conseco Fieldhouse), and 36-13 all-time when the tournament is held in Indianapolis. Eight of Purdue's nine Big Ten Tournament titles were earned in Indianapolis, winning two at the RCA Dome, five at Conseco Fieldhouse and one after the name was changed to Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
FOULS AND FREE THROWS
The free throw line has been key for the Boilermakers all season, going 17-4 this season when matching or exceeding their opponent at the stripe. Purdue is averaging 17.3 attempts per game at the charity stripe, hitting 72.4 percent on the season, and are 13-5 when committing fewer fouls than their opponents.
EXTENDING THE RECORD
Purdue head coach Sharon Versyp set a Big Ten record in 2017 with her 22nd career victory in the postseason conference tournament, breaking the previous tournament mark held by shared by Ohio State's Jim Foster and Penn State's Rene Portland.
POSTSEASON HONORS
The Boilermakers picked up some Big Ten hardware Monday as Harris repeated as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and earned second team all-conference honors, while McLaughlin became the third sophomore in Purdue women's basketball history to earn First Team All-Big Ten. Oden joined the group with Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors, marking her second straight year with conference recognition.
ALL ABOUT ILLINOIS
The Fighting Illini enter the Big Ten Tournament at 10-19 and posted a 2-16 record in Big Ten Conference play. Illinois' two conference wins came at Minnesota on Jan. 6 (66-62) and at home vs. Wisconsin on Feb. 10 (78-68). Illinois has played only one game this season on a neutral floor, falling against Sacramento State in San Luis Obispo, California 109-107. The Fighting Illini enter the Big Ten Tournament with five straight losses, playing three of the five against the top-four teams in the final conference standings (at Iowa, vs. Michigan, at Maryland). Purdue won the only regular season meeting against Illinois, earning a 72-50 win at Mackey Arena on Feb. 7 as the Fighting Illini were forced to play the bulk of the game without senior Alex Wittinger due to an injury. Head coach Nancy Fahey is in her second season at Illinois after an outstanding career at Division III Washington University. Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks 34th in the nation with only 13.2 turnovers per game. Wittinger was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media and was a member of the Big Ten All-Defensive Team after posting 15.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots per game this season. Junior Brandi Beasley is fourth in the Big Ten this season with 4.9 assists per game. Freshmen Arieal Scott and Mackenzie Blazek were former AAU teammates of several Boilermakers including Ae'Rianna Harris and Cassidy Hardin.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's basketball team opens postseason play Wednesday, heading to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for their 25th Big Ten Tournament. The Boilermakers have had more success than any team in the conference in the tournament, owning 42 all-time Big Ten Tournament wins and nine tournament titles, both top marks all-time. Purdue opens the 2019 tournament as the No. 11 seed and will face 14th-seeded Illinois at 4 p.m., live on the Big Ten Network.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Karissa McLaughlin, So.
Dominique Oden, Jr.
Ae'Rianna Harris, Jr.
Tamara Farquhar, So.
Kayana Traylor, Fr.
LOOKING BACK
The Boilermakers wrapped up the regular season with a 73-51 loss at Indiana, unable to find the bottom of the bucket as they hit only 30.4 percent from the field. Purdue finished 2-of-17 from 3-point range and an uncharateristic 15-of-25 at the free throw line. Harris led Purdue with 19 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, while Traylor added 12 points and a career-high four steals.
NEARBY NAPTOWN
Indianapolis has been good to the Boilermakers in their annual postseason conference tournament as Purdue owns a 28-8 all-time in Bankers Life Fieldhouse at the Big Ten Tournament (previously Conseco Fieldhouse), and 36-13 all-time when the tournament is held in Indianapolis. Eight of Purdue's nine Big Ten Tournament titles were earned in Indianapolis, winning two at the RCA Dome, five at Conseco Fieldhouse and one after the name was changed to Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
FOULS AND FREE THROWS
The free throw line has been key for the Boilermakers all season, going 17-4 this season when matching or exceeding their opponent at the stripe. Purdue is averaging 17.3 attempts per game at the charity stripe, hitting 72.4 percent on the season, and are 13-5 when committing fewer fouls than their opponents.
EXTENDING THE RECORD
Purdue head coach Sharon Versyp set a Big Ten record in 2017 with her 22nd career victory in the postseason conference tournament, breaking the previous tournament mark held by shared by Ohio State's Jim Foster and Penn State's Rene Portland.
POSTSEASON HONORS
The Boilermakers picked up some Big Ten hardware Monday as Harris repeated as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and earned second team all-conference honors, while McLaughlin became the third sophomore in Purdue women's basketball history to earn First Team All-Big Ten. Oden joined the group with Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors, marking her second straight year with conference recognition.
ALL ABOUT ILLINOIS
The Fighting Illini enter the Big Ten Tournament at 10-19 and posted a 2-16 record in Big Ten Conference play. Illinois' two conference wins came at Minnesota on Jan. 6 (66-62) and at home vs. Wisconsin on Feb. 10 (78-68). Illinois has played only one game this season on a neutral floor, falling against Sacramento State in San Luis Obispo, California 109-107. The Fighting Illini enter the Big Ten Tournament with five straight losses, playing three of the five against the top-four teams in the final conference standings (at Iowa, vs. Michigan, at Maryland). Purdue won the only regular season meeting against Illinois, earning a 72-50 win at Mackey Arena on Feb. 7 as the Fighting Illini were forced to play the bulk of the game without senior Alex Wittinger due to an injury. Head coach Nancy Fahey is in her second season at Illinois after an outstanding career at Division III Washington University. Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks 34th in the nation with only 13.2 turnovers per game. Wittinger was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media and was a member of the Big Ten All-Defensive Team after posting 15.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots per game this season. Junior Brandi Beasley is fourth in the Big Ten this season with 4.9 assists per game. Freshmen Arieal Scott and Mackenzie Blazek were former AAU teammates of several Boilermakers including Ae'Rianna Harris and Cassidy Hardin.