Purdue women's basketball weekly report: What we learned, what to watch for
As expected, the Boilermakers finished the opening week of the season at 1-1
WHAT WE LEARNED
• Yes, the final margin was 44 points, which was bigger than last year’s loss to the Fighting Irish. But this was different. There were too many moments when the Boilermakers lacked a competitive spirit last season, but that wasn’t the case Sunday. The new blood of transfers is helping, but the overall vibe isn’t the same. Will it translate to victories against tougher competition?
“Call me crazy, but I have some very strong optimism about our ball club and the direction we're going to go from here,” Purdue coach Katie Gearlds said.
• If that’s true, the Boilermakers must use Sunday’s experience throughout the rest of the season. Not every game is Notre Dame. Purdue will be favored in the next three games and must bring the same attention to detail and preparation, even though the outcome wasn’t in its favor.
“Coach was talking to us a little about that in the locker room, and we had two really good practices before this,” senior Reagan Bass said. “We were really locked in the entire time. Everyone was talking to each other. Communication was great as a team.
“If we go into every scout, every practice like we're playing Notre Dame, like we're playing a top-ranked team, that is going to enhance our focus even more.”
• Although it’s a limited sample size, coach Katie Gearlds and her staff have discovered a hidden gem in the transfer portal. Destini Lombard is off to a fast start. She stuffed the stat sheet against Purdue Fort Wayne and was the only player who appeared to belong in the early stages of the loss to Notre Dame. Lombard handled the Irish’s speed and quickness and was on the attack most of the night. The transfer from Stephen F. Austin after one season at LSU has showcased her all-around game. She leads the Boilermakers in scoring, assists, steals, and field goal percentage and ranks second in rebounding. Again, it’s just two games, but it’s hard to ignore what she’s done and the role she’ll continue to play. She’s shown flashes of hitting 3-pointers in the offseason, and her 3 of 10 start from beyond the arc is expected to improve. Lombard will likely lead the team in minutes played.
• When Lana McCarthy and Kendall Puryear establish position on the block and their teammates push the ball inside, the offense will have more options. After two games, the freshmen duo are 17 of 24 from the field with McCarthy currently shooting 78.6%. They’ve finished through contact since arriving on campus in June and are off to a good start. However, they must stay on the floor, or at least one of them. Both experienced foul trouble against Notre Dame, picking up two first-half fouls forcing Purdue to use a smaller lineup. Even with McCarthy and Puryear on the floor, the Irish dominated the boards. But the Boilermakers will lean heavily on the pair throughout the season to give the offense an inside presence.
• Again, it’s just two games, but the offense needs 3-pointers from Sophie Swanson. She’s 0 of 9 from beyond the arc, and the sophomore needs to see one or two go through the net. Purdue needs Swanson’s perimeter shooting to provide a scoring punch. This is Swanson’s strength, and she must round into form sooner than later. Swanson has enjoyed success inside the arc, a solid element of her game, but the 3-point line is where she helps this team the most.
MORE: Chad Krockover Photography | Dave Wegiel Photography | Takeaways, thoughts from Sunday’s loss
• Sunday might have been a starting point for Ella Collier. The sharpshooter from Marian University eased herself into the Division I level in the opener but was looking for more opportunities against the Irish. Out of a third-quarter timeout, Gearlds ran a set play for Collier, who drained a 3-pointer from the corner. She finished with 11 points. With each game, Collier will see more chances to boost the offense.
“I think she's one of the best shooters I've ever seen, if not the best,” Gearlds said. “Just looked confident to dribble the basketball and didn't look afraid of the moment. I think that kind of trickled down to everybody. Same thing with Dez. We‘ve got a lot of pieces out there that feel good about who they are, and we'll keep working to collectively put a better game together.”
• Speaking of comfortable, Amiyah Reynolds is starting to fall into that category. She hasn’t put up big numbers, but Reynolds is finding her sweet spots on the floor in the first two games. She hit a 3-pointer in the opener and had a few mid-range opportunities against Notre Dame. Sunday was Reynolds’ second “real” game in 652 days after dealing with a severe ankle injury at the end of her senior year at South Bend Washington. Expect her minutes to increase.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• Fewer turnovers from Rashuna Jones, who has nine through two games.
• Better ball movement against elite defenses. The Boilermakers tried to dribble through the Irish. Plenty of chances to work on it before playing No. 1 South Carolina in nearly three weeks.
• Will Jayla Smith’s minutes be spread around to different positions? She played point guard against the Irish because of Jones’ turnover issues. Smith’s role could be based on foul trouble and other factors.
• How will the Boilermakers apply the lessons of Sunday’s loss to Thursday’s matchup against IU Indy?
• Purdue needs to piece together a three-game winning streak before heading to the Fort Myers Tip-Off over Thanksgiving.
NEXT FIVE GAMES
Thursday: IU Indy, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 18: Bellarmine, 7 p.m.
Nov. 24: UT Arlington, 1 p.m.
Nov. 28: Middle Tennessee State, 4:30 p.m. (Fort Myers, Fla.)
Nov. 30: South Carolina, 11 a.m. (Fort Myers, Fla.)