WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After clinching a spot in the Big Ten Tournament in a must-win game at Northwestern on Sunday, the Purdue women’s basketball team will open its tournament run as the 14th seed on Wednesday night against 11-seed Oregon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Tipoff is set for 25 minutes after the conclusion of Illinois-Wisconsin game, with an approximate start time of 8:30 p.m.
Sloane Martin, Meghan McKeown and Nicole Auerbach will be on the call for Peacock. Tim Newton and Jane Schott will be courtside for 95.3 BOB FM and the Purdue Global Radio Network.
GAME INFORMATION
Purdue (13-16) vs. Oregon (20-11)
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Time: Approx. 8:30 p.m.
TV/Stream: Peacock
Radio: 95.3 BOB FM
Live Stats: purdue.statbroadcast.com
LAST TIME OUT
Purdue faced a must-win situation in the regular season finale at Northwestern. Four players finished in double figures, paced by Tara Daye’s 18 points, to help Purdue hold on for a 67-62 win. The Boilermakers flipped 21 Northwestern turnovers into a season-high 32 points.
NOTES
• Purdue returns to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2024 and the first time since the tournament expanded to 15 teams. Fifth year Madison Layden-Zay is the only player on the roster who has played in a Big Ten Tournament game. Her sister McKenna Layden was injured prior to the 2024 tournament as a freshman.
• Purdue owns the record for most Big Ten Tournament titles with nine - 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013. Head coach Katie Gearlds and associate head coach Kelly Komara combined to win four titles during their playing careers at Purdue.
• Nya Smith found another gear to close the regular season with five straight games in double figures to average 16.8 points per game at a 44.4% clip, while also leading the team with 24 assists and 13 3-pointers. The sophomore has made two or more triples in her last six contests.
• Nya Smith has played 39.7 minutes per game over her last four outings, sitting for just 1:10 of game time, including her first two career complete games at Maryland and Northwestern.
• Kiki Smith notched her 16th game in double figures and her sixth in the last eight with 17 points against Northwestern. Over the month of February, the junior led the team in scoring with 14.4 points per night on 40.2% shooting and knocked down 19 3-pointers at a 36% clip.
• Eclipsing her point and rebound tallies from her first three years of college this season, Tara Daye leads Purdue in scoring and rebounding with 12.4 points and 6.7 boards per game. Daye is one of three Big Ten guards to average better than 12 points and 6.5 rebounds per night.
• Purdue clinched a spot in the Big Ten Tournament with a 67-62 win over Northwestern on Sunday, its first win in a regular season finale since 2017. The Boilermakers forced 21 turnovers and scored a season-high 32 points off turnovers.
• Purdue has recorded 10 or more steals in nine games this season, tied for the most by a Boilermaker squad in the last 10 years. The Boilermakers are averaging 17.1 points off turnovers.
• Purdue is 11-3 this season when scoring 70 or more points and 12-2 when keeping opponents to 70 or fewer.
• In their five Big Ten wins, the Boilermakers shot 39% from distance with 9.2 3-pointers per game, better than the 28.1% on 6.1 triples per game in their losses.
• Purdue ranks second in the Big Ten, as opponents have generated just 13% of their total points on second-chance opportunities, averaging less than 10 points per game.
• The tandem of Kiki Smith and Nya Smith combined to score 200 points over the final seven games of the regular season, averaging 28.6 points per game.
• Purdue is the only team in the Big Ten to have four different players sink 30 or more 3-pointers this season - Madison Layden-Zay (56), Kiki Smith (49), Nya Smith (33) and Hila Karsh (30).
• Purdue has made 209 3-pointers this season, good for fourth in Purdue single-season history. Four of Purdue's five campaigns with 200+ triples have come in the last five years.
• Purdue is 35-16 all-time at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.