5 Thoughts From Purdue WBB's 118-42 Win in Exhibition Game
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Purdue women's basketball hit the floor at Mackey Arena for the first time on Monday night, hosting Purdue Northwest (Division II) for an exhibition contest. The Boilermakers had no issues, posting an impressive 118-42 victory.
Obviously, it can be hard to know what's real and what still needs improvement from a game like this, but there were plenty of positives from Monday's performance from Katie Gearlds' squad. Here are a few observations from the win in West Lafayette.
Purdue pushed the tempo
Gearlds has talked about playing with pace, getting shots up quickly, and keeping defenses on their heels. Purdue showed flashes of that style throughout the game on Monday night, especially because of the turnovers forced with on-ball defense.
The Boilermakers were able to get out into transition frequently, thanks in large part to steals forced by Lana McCarthy and Madison Layden-Zay, who each had four in the contest. Purdue took advantage of those transition opportunities, creating open layups, or driving to the basket to kick it out for an open three-point shot.
The freshmen were impressive
Guard Hila Karsh and forward/center Avery Gordon both looked impressive in their first live action wearing a Purdue uniform. Karsh was a starter for the Boilers and Gordon came off the bench behind McCarthy and Kendall Puryear.
With the basketball in her hands, Karsh looked like an experienced guard on the floor. She didn't hesitate when she got open looks, pulling the trigger on a couple three-point attempts throughout the game. She also got her teammates the basketball in good spots. Karsh ended the night with 15 points.
Gordon's 6-foot-7 size was no match for Purdue Northwest, ending the game with 14 points and seven rebounds. She showed soft touch around the rim and made quick decisions when she caught the ball and sealed off the defender in the post.
Saige Stahl was a force on the glass
The Indiana State transfer isn't Purdue's tallest player, standing at 6-foot-1, but she was the one who brought a lot of energy to the floor. She showcased her knack to find the basketball throughout the game, crashing the glass for 11 rebounds.
When Stahl was on the floor, she was attacking every rebound and provided a nice defensive punch for the Boilermakers. Purdue needs that type of energy, especially off the bench.
Energy and effort was high-level
It sounds silly to commend effort and energy — that's how you're supposed to play on the court. But Purdue's group played hard for a full 40 minutes on Monday night. That didn't always seem to be the case a year ago.
Purdue never slowed down throughout the game. There were some lapses defensively at times, especially around the perimeter, but nothing that can't be corrected. The Boilers continually forced turnovers, crashed the glass, and pushed the tempo from start to finish.
Gearlds' team played with purpose and everyone was on the same page. That, alone, is a big step up from last year's squad.
Purdue won't be afraid to shoot
During Big Ten Media Days, Gearlds said the strength of her team would need to be three-point shooting. That was the case on Monday night. Despite a slow start from distance, the Boilermakers shot 45.5% from long range and 63.9% from the floor.
Layden-Zay's return to the floor certainly helps Purdue's shooting ability, a player who scored more than 1,000 points and made over 200 three-pointers in her first four seasons. But Karsh and Kiki Smith were also willing shooters from deep.
The combination of Purdue's ability to get to the rim and knock down shots from distance was a problem last season. It's only a one-game sample size, but the guards looked much more confident shooting from distance.
Related stories on Purdue women's basketball
JENNY BOUCEK HELPS PURDUE WBB: Coach Katie Gearlds and her staff have worked with Indiana Pacers coaches Rick Carlisle and Jenny Boucek during the offseason. CLICK HERE
LAYDEN-ZAY'S RETURN BENEFITING PURDUE: Madison Layden-Zay decided to come out of retirement and use her final season of eligibility. Purdue is reaping the benefits in several ways. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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