WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team will open a three-game homestand on Thursday morning with an early 11 a.m. tip against Lipscomb at Mackey Arena. Craig Combs and Dan Anacito on the call for B1G+.
Tim Newton and Jane Schott will call the action for the Purdue Global Radio Network on 95.3 BOB FM.
Thursday marks the annual Education Day for the Boilermakers. Purdue will host more than 1,800 students from more than 10 local elementary schools. Thursday's contest is the second of six straight games for Purdue that tip at noon or earlier. The Boilermakers are 2-1 in games that started prior to 1 p.m. this season.
Mackey Arena has been a fortress for the Boilermakers with a perfect 5-0 record. Purdue has scored 82.2 points per game at home, while holding opponents to 58.8 points. Offensively, Purdue has shot 52.2% and nearly 40% from behind the arc with a rebounding margin if 17.6 boards per game.
PROMOTIONS
• Education Day
GAME NOTES
• Purdue and Lipscomb will meet for the first time.
• Lipscomb is the 217th unique opponent for Purdue.
• The Boilermakers are 158-58 in first-time matchups.
• Madison Layden-Zay is now 37 rebounds away from becoming the seventh player in Big Ten history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, 200 3-pointers and 50 blocks. She would be the second player to join the club this season, alongside Maryland guard Yarden Garzon.
• Layden-Zay has connected on a team-high 19 3-pointers, making a triple in every game this season. The Kokomo, Ind. native's 47.5% clip from distance is a career high and ranks 28th nationally and third in the Big Ten. The fifth year is also 10th in the league playing 32.1 minutes per night.
• Freshman Hila Karsh connected three times from the outside at Michigan, tied for second most over the opening weekend of Big Ten play. The Israeli international posted her third straight game with nine points to move up to third on the team in scoring with 9.7 points per night.
• Purdue was one of five teams to have two players knock down two or more 3-pointers at a 50% clip in the opening weened of conference action (Layden-Zay - 50%, Karsh - 60%)
• Tara Daye continues to have a career year with 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per night. Daye is one of nine guards in the Big Ten to average better than 10 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season.
• Kiki Smith leads the team with 10.8 points per game and sits second with 15 made 3-pointers on the year. The Topkea, Kan., native has knocked down three or more triples four times, tied for the most in the Big Ten.
• The Boilermakers have dished out 20 or more assists twice this season. Purdue is 23-1 over the last five seasons when recording 20 assists.
On the glass, Purdue ranks seventh nationally and leads the Big Ten in defensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 78.1% of missed shots on the defensive end. The Boilermakers are holding opponents to just 7.0 second chance points per game.