WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women's basketball team is set to represent the Big Ten Conference in the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Thursday night at Virginia Tech. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Tim Newton will have the call for the Boilermakers on 95.3 BOB FM.
GAME INFORMATION
Purdue (6-1) vs. Virginia Tech (6-1)
Date: Thursday, Dec. 5
Time: 7 p.m.
Stream: ACC Network Extra
Radio: 95.3 BOB FM
Live Stats: hokiesports.com
Purdue will hit the court for the first time since its first loss off the season to No. 22 Gonzaga last Sunday at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla., last Sunday. The Boilermakers went 2-1 on the weekend with wins over Drake and Arizona State to take home runner-up honors for the tournament. Ae'Rianna Harris and Dominique Oden were named to the all-tournament squad.
The Boilermakers continue to boast one of the top defenses in the nation. Purdue is 20th in the country in blocked shots with 39 on the year, led by Harris' 21 rejections, which lead the Big Ten. The Boilermakers have the 20th ranked scoring defense at 53.3 points per game and have held opponents to just 23.4% 3-point shooting, good for 18th nationally.
Thursday marks Purdue's 13th game in the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Boilermakers are 3-9 all-time in the mid-season classic, but the results have tilted in Purdue's direction as of late. Sharon Versyp's squad enters Thursday winners in two of their last three contests in the challenge.
NOTES TO KNOW
• Purdue leads the all-time series against Virginia Tech 1-0. The lone matchup was an 80-62 win over the Hokies in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament at Mackey Arena.
• Karissa McLaughlin is 77 points shy of 1,000 in her career, which would make her the 35th player to reach that mark in Purdue history.
• Harris became the first player in program history and fifth player from the Big Ten to join the 300-blocks club. The senior only trails men's basketball standouts A.J. Hammons and Joe Barry Carroll for most blocks in Purdue history.
• Purdue starters have accounted for 49.7 points per game this season, compared to 13.4 points off the bench.
• Earlier this week, the Boilermakers received votes from in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls for the first time this season.
• Oden (181) and McLaughlin (175) stand seventh and eighth in program history in career 3-pointers made.
• Kayana Traylor sits 10th in the conference in assists per game with four.
• Purdue is averaging 19.4 points per first quarter to outscore opponents by an average of nearly 11 points during the first 20 minutes of games.
• The Boilermakers are 1-4 all-time in the state of Virginia, with three of those games in the NCAA Tournament.
• Head coach Sharon Versyp enters Thursday night with 399 career victories.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE GAME NOTES
"COACH VERSYP RADIO SHOW"
Tune in to hear weekly to hear Tim Newton and head coach Sharon Versyp discuss the 2019-20 Purdue women's basketball season on 95.3 BOB FM. The Dec. 9 show will be broadcast live from the Stacked Pickle in Westfield.
TICKETS ON SALE
Season and single-game tickets, as well as flex packs, are now available for the 2019-20 Purdue women's basketball season. Don't miss out on a minute of the action. Click here for more information.
FOLLOW THE BOILERMAKERS
Stay up to date on all the latest scores, stats and stories surrounding Purdue women's basketball this season by following the team on Twitter (@PurdueWBB), Instagram (@PurdueWBB) and Facebook (/PurdueWBB).