WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women's basketball team opens the 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament against Wisconsin on Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. (ET). The seventh-seeded Boilermakers will face the 10th-seeded Badgers at the Target Center in Minneapolis on the Big Ten Network with Sloane Martin and Christy Winters Scott on the call.
Tim Newton and Jane Schott will have all the action courtside for the Purdue Radio Network on 95.3.BOB FM.
GAME INFORMATION
No. 7 Purdue (18-9, 9-8) vs. No. 10 Wisconsin
Thursday, March 2
Time: 6:30 PM (ET)
TV: BTN
Radio: 95.3 BOB FM
Live Stats: BigTenStats.com
LAST TIME OUT
The Boilermakers dropped their regular season finale to Minnesota 77-69. Lasha Petree paced Purdue with 26 points, as the Boilermakers shot 42.1% from the field. Purdue clawed its way back from an 11-point deficit at halftime to tie the game in the third quarter. With the game tied 62-62 with two minutes to play, Minnesota closed on a 15-7 run.
ALL-BIG TEN HONORS
The Boilermakers had a pair of players recognized as All-Big Ten. One the league's best all-around guards, Jeanae Terry was tabbed All-Big Ten Second Team by the coaches, while earning honorable mention and a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team by the media. Abbey Ellis garnered honorable mention status for the second straight season from the coaches and media. Cassidy Hardin was named Purdue's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner.
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Wisconsin 55-22 with a 5-1 mark in Big Ten Tournament action.
• The Boilermakers hold the record for most Big Ten Tournament titles with nine and tournament wins with 45.
• The annual Big Ten postseason awards saw Jeanae Terry earn All-Big Ten Second Team honors by the leagues' coaches and all-defensive nods from the media. Abbey Ellis was tabbed honorable mention by the coaches and media.
• Terry is the only player to rank in the top 10 in the league in rebounding (5th, 7.6), assists (2nd, 6.5) and steals (3rd, 2.3).
• Lasha Petree averaged 24 points per game over the final three games of the year, scoring 20 or more points in all outings. Petree is the second Boilermaker since Brittany Rayburn in 2009-10 to go for 20 points in three straight outings.
• Winning 18 games in the regular season, Katie Gearlds joined Linn Dunn and Carolyn Peck as the only Boilermaker head coaches to improve the program's win total in each of their first two campaigns in West Lafayette.
• Caitlyn Harper (10.9 ppg/55.7%) is one of six Big Ten players averaging over 10 points per game and shoot over 55% this season.
• Purdue is 16-0 when holding a team to 65 points or fewer this season, while going 2-9 when giving up 66 points or more.
• With her next appearance, Cassidy Hardin will tie Danielle Campbell for the most appearances in program history with 140 games played.
• After posting a 39-17 all-time record in tournament games played in Indianapolis, Purdue is 6-2 all-time outside the state of Indiana in the conference showcase, including the 2013 title.
• Purdue is the seventh seed for just the second time in history, following the 2011 campaign.
• The Boilermakers are 1-0 against the No. 10 seed, with the lone win coming in 2011 against Indiana.
• Katie Gearlds is the only head coach in program history to improve or match Purdue's tournament seeding in each of her first two seasons.
• Head coach Katie Gearlds went 8-2 in Big Ten Tournaments during her playing days, reaching the finals three times, winning the championship in 2004 and 2007. She was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player as a senior in 2007.