Purdue women's basketball report: What we learned, what we don't know after first Big Ten game
The Boilermakers won't play their next conference game until Dec. 29 at Iowa
WHAT WE LEARNED
• “She’s been really, really good off the bench.”
That’s Katie Gearlds summing up sophomore guard Rashunda Jones’ play against Maryland on Saturday. And Gearlds is right because the numbers back her up.
Jones finished with 17 points, including 13 in the opening two quarters, and was the main reason why the Boilermakers built a 16-point lead in the first half. But the Terrapins kept Jones under control in the second half and pulled away for a nine-point victory.
In four games as a starter, Jones is averaging 4.8 points and shooting 30.7% from the field. In five games off the bench, Jones is averaging 13 points and shooting 55.6% from the field.
Jones endured early season struggles running the point, which isn’t her natural position, and started putting in extra time in the gym and film room.
“Let her see the game, the flow of the game, and then she comes in and … she's different,” Gearlds said. “She played with a really good pace about her, and we tried to tell her to pick and choose when (she uses her) speed. For the most part, she did a good job.”
When the offense became stagnant in the first half, Jones made a play. She drove the baseline, turned a steal into a layup, or found her shot in the lane and hit a midrange jumper.
Jones and the offense couldn't make those same plays after halftime because the Terrapins increased their defensive intensity and brought more physical pressure.
“We can’t get too stagnant,” Jones said. “We can’t get too comfortable at the end of the day, no matter if you’re down two or 20. They're the No. 7 team in the country, and they're going to come, and they're going to punch. We’ve got to be able to receive that and get over the hump while we're up instead of digging ourselves into a hole trying to climb out.”
• It wasn’t just Saturday, but too many of Purdue’s better shooters are passing up scoring opportunities.
It's nice to see the unselfish play, but there are players on this team who are on the roster to shoot and score. Making the extra pass can be a good approach, but for a team that’s had issues putting up points against elite competition, the best players need to produce points.
Ella Collier, the two-time NAIA Player of the Year at Marian before transferring to Purdue, passed up a midrange jumper to attempt a bounce pass to the block in the second half. It resulted in a turnover when Collier clearly had an open look.
Maybe that was the play called from the sideline. Maybe Collier saw an opening and was trying to put the Boilermakers in a position to score an easier basket.
Other players have done it throughout the season. As this team continues to grow and come together, it’s important they understand what’s needed in the moment and why they’re on the floor.
• The Boilermakers can take another step defensively if they consistently contest shots.
Once they challenged Maine’s 3-point shooters in the second half of Wednesday’s victory, the Black Bears missed 14 straight from beyond the arc.
Against the Terrapins, Purdue was solid in this area during the first three quarters but allowed too many open looks in the fourth quarter. Maryland was 4 of 8 from 3-point range in the final 10 minutes.
If the Boilermakers challenge perimeter shooters with their hands and arms up, they should see more success in that area.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW
• Can the Boilermakers knock off a ranked team this season?
The performance against the Terrapins was a big step forward compared to the losses to Notre Dame and South Carolina. They’ll have a chance on Saturday when Kentucky, which was ranked No. 14 last week before losing to North Carolina, comes to Mackey Arena.
When Big Ten play resumes, Purdue could face four straight ranked teams starting Dec. 29 at Iowa and followed by Michigan State (Jan. 1), UCLA (Jan. 7) and Michigan (Jan. 11).
• When will Purdue consistently shoot more free throws than an opponent?
Eight of the first nine opponents have attempted more free throws than the Boilermakers. Maine shot seven; Purdue attempted 10 last week. Otherwise, opponents are going to the line more.
• When will freshman Jordyn Poole make her debut?
Poole will start practicing more this week after dealing with a stress fracture in her lower leg, which was discovered in the summer. She’s been cleared for more workouts. Don’t expect Poole to play against Kentucky, but stepping on the floor at Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 17 and against Indiana State (Dec. 21) are more realistic.
WEEKEND BIG TEN SCORES
Indiana 75, Penn State 60
Maryland 79, Purdue 68
USC 66, Oregon 53
Nebraska 84, Minnesota 65
Michigan 60, Northwestern 54
Wisconsin 66, Rutgers 64
Ohio State 83, Illinois 74
UCLA 73, Washington 62
Tennessee 78, Iowa 68
Michigan State 89, DePaul 61
Note: Iowa and Michigan State play on Dec. 15
WEEKEND WRAP
• Barry Odom is Purdue’s 38th coach in program history.
The school announced Odom’s hiring Sunday afternoon on social media - in the middle of Matt Painter’s press conference following the basketball victory over Maryland. Odom spent two years at UNLV and served as Missouri’s head coach from 2016-19. The Tigers played the Boilermakers twice during Odom’s stint in Columbia. Odom replaced Ryan Walters, who was fired after two seasons and only five victories. In two seasons at UNLV, Odom won 19 games.
One thing I found interesting: Walters worked for Odom at two different stops - Memphis and Missouri. And now Purdue hires Odom. How much will Odom’s defensive system resemble the one Walters ran at Purdue? Maybe some, maybe not at all.
One more item of interest: When athletic director Mike Bobinski hired Walters two years ago, did he talk to Odom? And did Bobinski file away Odom’s name in case he needed another head coach?
Odom will be introduced during a press conference Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Mackey Arena.
• Matt Painter’s team bounced back after an awful performance at Penn State with a second-half surge to knock off Maryland 83-78 victory at Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers went from 24 turnovers against the Nittany Lions to eight against the Terrapins. That’s 16 more scoring chances and Purdue shot 61.3% in the second half.
Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn totaled 38 of the team’s 51 points in the second half. More at goldandblack.com.