WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A trio of Purdue women's basketball players were honored by the Big Ten Conference's annual awards Monday afternoon. Senior Ae'Rianna Harris was tabbed First Team All-Big Ten and named to the all-defensive team, while Dominique Oden and Karissa McLaughlin received honorable mention laurels. The trio were selected by the league's coaches and media.
For Harris, the first-team pick was the highest of her career, following back-to-back second-team nods in 2018 and 2019. The Indianapolis native was 13th in the league in scoring with 13.5 points per game on 47.4% shooting, good for sixth in the conference. She finished second in the Big Ten in blocks this season with 83.
The two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year owns a litany Purdue records, including the career marks for rebounds, double-doubles and blocks. Harris was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Leslie Award.
Harris is the third player in Purdue history to be named to the all-defensive team three times in a career, joining FahKara Malone (07-08-10) and Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton (06-07-09), and the first to be selected in three straight seasons.
Oden notched her third consecutive campaign with a postseason honor from the Big Ten, after a second-team pick in 2018 and honorable mention laurels in 2019. The Atlanta, Ga., native finished 12th in the Big Ten games with 14.2 points per game. The senior shot a cool 82.8% at the charity stripe in league play to rank fourth in the conference. Oden was also the recipient of a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
One of the most consistent players to ever suit up for Purdue, Oden is on the verge of breaking the all-time starts and minutes played records. She ranks eighth in program history with 1,740 points, seven shy of Joy Holmes in seventh place.
The seniors both eclipsed the 1,500-point mark for their careers this season as the 15th and 16th members, making them just the second class in Purdue history to feature a pair of players in the exclusive club.
Following a first-team selection in 2019, McLaughlin was honored by the Big Ten for the second straight year. The junior was fifth in the conference in 3-pointers made with 63 and sixth with a 33.3% clip from outside. Despite missing two games, McLaughlin still finished third in the conference in minutes played at 35:30 per game.
The Fort Wayne native is third in the program record book for 3-pointers with 228, 12 away from Courtney Moses career tally. In addition to her outside prowess, McLaughlin is 10th in the conference with a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Boilermakers head to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Conference this week as the No. 9 seed. Purdue will face 8th-seeded Michigan State on Thursday at noon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The game will air live on the Big Ten Network and tickets can be purchased at Tickermaster.com.
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