Purdue Women's Basketball Facing Pivotal 3-Game Stretch in Big Ten Play

With a 3-8 Big Ten record, Purdue needs to pick up some conference wins. The good news? The Boilers are entering the most favorable stretch of the schedule.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Madison Layden-Zay (33) drives past UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32). | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Purdue's best opportunity to climb up the Big Ten standings and secure its place in the conference tournament comes in the span of the next 10 days. From Feb. 4 through Feb. 14, the Boilermakers will play the three worst teams in the league, a chance to put together a winning streak and carry momentum into the most important portion of the season.

Currently, the Boilermakers sit at 3-8 in Big Ten play, putting them at 14th in the conference standings. The top 15 teams in the league make the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament in March.

The Boilermakers host Penn State (0-11 Big Ten) on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Indiana (1-10 Big Ten) on Sunday and another home game against Rutgers (1-10 Big Ten) on Feb. 14. Should Purdue win all three of those games, it will have a 6-8 record in the conference with only four games to play.

It would then have tiebreakers over Penn State, Indiana, Rutgers and Wisconsin.

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Katie Gearlds in the second half against the UCLA Bruins. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Make no mistake, simply participating in the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament isn't the long-term goal for coach Katie Gearlds and her staff. However, qualifying for the conference tournament a year after missing out on the event would be a step in the right direction.

Last year, Purdue finished the regular season with a 10-19 record, which included a 3-15 mark in Big Ten play. The Boilers have an opportunity to double their conference win total from last season and close out the year with a .500 record or better.

In order to do that, Purdue must take advantage of this upcoming three-game stretch. After Feb. 14, the schedule toughens up with games against No. 10 Iowa and No. 22 Maryland. The Boilers then close the season with a home game against Oregon and road trip to Northwestern.

Already scoring wins over Wisconsin, No. 24 Washington and Indiana, Purdue has put itself in position to finish the regular season with at least seven Big Ten wins. For a program trying to get back to the top of the conference, it would be a significant step forward.

Current Big Ten women's basketball standings

UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close celebrates after her team defeated the USC Trojans to win the Big Ten Tournament. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This year's Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament is scheduled for March 4 through 8 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The league's top 15 teams will qualify for the event, the same format as the 2025 tournament.

Here's a look at the current conference standings (Feb. 3) as we enter the final full month of the women's college basketball season.

1. UCLA Bruins (11-0)
2. Michigan Wolverines (10-1)
3. Iowa Hawkeyes (9-2)
4. Ohio State Buckeyes (9-2)
5. Michigan State Spartans (8-3)
6. Washington Huskies (7-4)
7. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-4)
8. Illinois Fighting Illini (6-5)
9. Maryland Terrapins (5-6)
10. Oregon Ducks (5-6)
11. Wisconsin Badgers (5-6)
12. USC Trojans (5-6)
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-6)
14. Purdue Boilermakers (3-8)
15. Northwestern Wildcats (2-9)
16. Indiana Hoosiers (1-10)
17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-10)
18. Penn State Nittany Lions (0-11)

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