WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women's basketball team opens the 2024 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. ET. at the Target Center in MInneapolis. The No. 12 seed Boilermakers will face No. 13 seed Northwestern on Peacock with Zora Stephenson, Meghan McKeown and Caroline Pineda on the call.
Tim Newton and Jane Schott will be courtside for the Purdue Global Radio Network on 95.3 BOB FM.
GAME INFORMATION
Purdue (12-17) vs. Northwestern (9-20)
Wednesday, March 6
Time: 6:30 PM ET
TV/Stream: Peacock
Radio: 95.3 BOB FM
Live Stats: Purduestats.com
LAST TIME OUT
Purdue battled back and had a chance to tie or win with a possession under a minute to play in a 64-60 loss at Michigan in the regular season finale. The Boilermakers were led by Abbey Ellis' 23 points for her sixth 20-point outing of the season, while Rashunda Jones jumped back into double figures with a 16-point game. Mary Ashley Stevenson and Sophie Swanson recorded seven of Purdue's eight steals.
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Northwestern 53-26.
• Purdue owns the record for most Big Ten Tournament titles with nine, the last coming in 2013, and tournament wins with 46.
• The Boilermakers return to the Target Center after reaching the quarterfinals last year. Jayla Smith sank a late 3-pointer to lift Purdue over Wisconsin 57-55.
• For the first time in 20 years, a Boilermaker is a Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Mary Ashley Stevenson was tabbed the top rookie in the conference by the media after finishing the year with 9.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, ranking third and second among the league's freshmen this season. Purdue's last Freshman of the Year was Katie Gearlds in 2003.
• Stevenson was also tabbed to both All-Freshman teams, as well as Big Ten honorable mention by the media.
• Seniors Jeanae Terry earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention nods. Harper was tabbed honorable mention, as well as Purdue's Sportsmanship honoree. Rashunda Jones earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
• Abbey Ellis finished the regular season with a team-high 14.2 points per game to rank 14th in the Big Ten. The Australian finished the campaign with six straight games in double figures including three 20-point outings in her final four games.
• After joining the 1,000-point club and reaching 200 3-pointers in her career, Madison Layden enters her final Big Ten Tournament with the sixth most made triples by a Purdue senior with 61.
• The Boilermakers' freshman class ended the regular season with the highest point production in the Big Ten with 22.8 points per game and 22.9 points per league contest.
• Purdue's rookies combined to finish in double figures 29 times tied for the league's best with Nebraska. The freshmen have recorded nine games with multiple freshmen in double figures. Purdue is one of two schools nationally to have three different freshmen score 19 points in a game this season.
• Alaina Harper made her first Purdue start against Michigan in place of her older sister. Alaina had two points and four rebounds in 23 minutes. The Harpers became the first sister tandem in program history to each start a game for Purdue.
• Abbey Ellis has recorded 13 20-point games at Purdue, the most since Dominique Oden's 20 from 2017-20.
• Jeanae Terry and Iowa's Caitlin Clark are the only players in the nation averaging seven rebounds, six assists and one steal.
• Mary Ashley Stevenson is one of three freshmen in Purdue history with over 275 points and 140 rebounds.