Indiana University Athletics
#IUWBB Game 21 Preview: Purdue
1/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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GAME 21
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THE OPENING TIP
Indiana hosts in-state rival Purdue on Monday, Feb. 2 inside Assembly Hall at 8:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on the Big Ten Network with Eric Collins and Debbie Antonelli on the call. The contest can also be heard on the state-wide IU Radio Network with Greg Murray behind the mic.
DID YOU KNOW?
• The Barn Burner Trophy, the annual rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of an Indiana and Purdue matchup, will be on the line on Monday. The trophy is played for as it alters between venues (Assembly Hall and Mackey Arena) each season . The Boilermakers earned back from Indiana during the 2013-14 season in West Lafayette.
• Indiana and Purdue are meeting in Assembly Hall for the first time since Feb. 20, 2013. The Hoosiers upset the No. 21 Boilermakers in that game on a last second shot by Jasmine McGhee to give IU a 62-61 win and the Barn Burner Trophy.
• So far in 2014-15, all but two points of IU’s point production have come from either freshmen or sophomores, accounting for 99.9 percent of Indiana’s total points this year. The same can be said about nearly every other statistical category as Indiana freshmen and sophomores have accounted for all but 22 minutes played this year.
• Since being inserted into the starting lineup over the last five games, Alexis Gassion has averaged 12.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks per game during that span. She scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds in back-to-back games during the stretch (Penn State and Maryland).
• Sophomore Karlee McBride led Indiana with a career-high 17 points at Michigan State last time out to go along with three assists, two steals and a block while shooting 7-of-12 from the field. McBride has scored in double figures in eight games this season and has been Indiana’s leading scorer off the bench with 8.0 points per game.
• Through one complete season and 20 games into her sophomore year, Larryn Brooks has scored 788 career points. Brooks needs 12 more points to become just the seventh player in program history and the first since Jamie Braun (2006-07/2007-08) to score at least 800 points in the first two years of a playing career at Indiana.
THE COACHES
Indiana
Teri Moren
Career Record: 211-138 (12th year)
Indiana record: 12-8 (1st year)
Purdue
Sharon Versyp
Career Record: 310-164 (15th year)
Purdue Record: 193-99 (9th year)
PURDUE AT A GLANCE
After a good road win against a ranked Minnesota team on Jan. 22, Purdue has dropped two straight at home to Ohio State and Rutgers. The Boilers will look to bounce back in Assembly Hall on Monday. Whitney Bays continues to lead the Boilermakers as she is averaging a double-double in Big Ten play with 18.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Ashley Morrissette leads Purdue from the outside as she leads the team in 3-point field goals made and assists while averaging 11.7 points per game on the year. In the first meeting between the two schools, Bays was dominant as she finished with 27 points and 10 boards on 11-of-16 shooting. Morrissette added 18 points in that game with five assists and a steal.
YOUNG GUNS GETTING IT DONE
So far in 2014-15, all but two points of Indiana’s point production have come from either freshmen or sophomores. The first and second-year players have accounted for 99.9 percent of IU’s point production this season. The same can be said about nearly every statistical category as Hoosier freshmen and sophomores have accounted for all but 22 total minutes played this season. IU has had four freshmen, six sophomores and one walk-on senior see playing time this year. Due to injuries, no juniors have played yet this season for Indiana.
HIT THE GASSION PEDAL
Sophomore Alexis Gassion has started in each of the last five games and has averaged 12.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks per game during that span, including back-to-back 18-point, nine-rebound performances at Penn State and against then-No. 7/6 Maryland. At PSU on Jan. 22, Gassion shot 16-of-18 from the free throw line and tied her season high of three steals. Against the Terrapins on Jan. 25, she shot 8-of-14 from the field with two steals and a season-high three blocks. The Fairborn, Ohio, native has led the Hoosiers in rebounds in four of the last five contests.
For the year, Gassion is averaging 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. In 2013-14, Gassion started in 32 contests and was IU’s second leading scorer (8.8 ppg) and rebounder (5.5 rpg).
MICROWAVE MCBRIDE
Sophomore Karlee McBride has stepped up her game in 2014-15. Last time out at Michigan State, McBride scored a career-high 17 points with three assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block while shooting 7-of-12 from the floor with a pair of 3-point field goals made.
McBride has led the Indiana bench in scoring this season as she is averaging 8.0 points per game. The Erie, Pa., native has scored in double figures eight time this year and has hit multiple 3-point field goals in seven contests.
THE BUSS IS ROLLING
Freshman Tyra Buss has scored in double-figures in 14 games this season and currently leads the team in scoring (12.0 ppg) and steals (2.5 spg) while adding 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. She has scored in double figures in two of the last three games and has had four or more assists in five of the last six contests (including six twice).
Buss is second among freshmen nationally in steals. The Mt. Carmel, Ill., native has had three or more steals in nine games and has totaled 49 steals so far this year. Her 49 thefts are the most by an Indiana player since 2010-11.
WALTER IS GOING ON
Freshman Jess Walter continues to improve as her rookie year progresses. She has scored in double figures four times during Big Ten play and led the Hoosiers in 3-point shooting during conference play (37.5 percent). At Penn State on Jan. 22, Walter nailed 4-of-7 3-point field goals and finished with 14 points and four assists.
For the year, Walter is averaging 7.1 points per game off the bench (one start) for the Hoosiers. She has scored in double figures in seven games this season and is shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range. She pace the team in 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers made (25).
CLIMBING TO THE CA-HILL TOP
Freshman Amanda Cahill has recorded five double-doubles this year, the most by an Indiana player in a single year since 2008-09 (Whitney Thomas, 10). For the year, Cahill is averaging 11.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field. Cahill has scored in double figures in 13 games this year and has collected 10 rebounds or more in eight contests to become the first player with eight games of 10+ rebounds in the same season since Thomas in 2008-09.
LARRYN LIGHTING IT UP
Indiana sophomore Larryn Brooks continues to be a leader for the Hoosiers. For the year, Brooks has scored in double figures in 14 contests and is averaging 11.7 points, 4.3 assists (9th in B1G) and 1.3 steals per game. Brooks finished with 11 points and five assists while shooting 6-of-6 from the free throw line against then-No. 7/6 Maryland on Jan. 25.
Through one complete season and 20 games into her sophomore year, Brooks has scored 788 career points. Brooks needs 12 more points to become just the seventh player in program history and the first since Jamie Braun (2006-07/2007-08) to score at least 800 points in the first two years of a playing career at Indiana.
Brooks had one of the most productive seasons by any freshman in the history of the program last year. She broke the IU freshman scoring record, tallying 554 points (7th on school single season list), breaking a 34-year-old freshman record held by Dorothy Reffel who scored 454 points in 1979-80. She was the first freshman in program history to ever eclipse 500 points in a season. Brooks also set freshman marks for 3-pointers made with 67 (T-4th), assists with 154 (3rd) and free throws made with 129. Brooks led the Hoosiers in scoring (16.3 ppg), field goals made (179), 3-point field goals made, 3-point field goal percentage (.379), free throws made, free throw percentage (.832) and assists.
Brooks earned Second Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors last season. She was the first Hoosier to earn second team all-conference honors since 2011 (Jori Davis) and just the fifth freshman ever at IU to be named to the conference’s all-freshman squad and the first since 2006 (Whitney Thomas).
JENN BECOMING A GEM
After averaging just 6.5 minutes per game in 16 appearances a year ago, sophomore Jenn Anderson has started in each game this year and has made her presence known so far in 2014-15. Against then No. 7/6 Maryland on Jan. 25, Anderson finished with 12 points, four rebounds and a steal.
Anderson is sixth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage as she is shooting 55.8 percent while averaging 9.8 points per game. She has scored in double-figures in 10 games this year. In Big Ten play, Anderson is connecting on 86.2 percent of her free throw attempts.
ROAD TRIP HOOSIERS
The Hoosiers end the regular season playing eight of 13 contests away from Assembly Hall. That includes the final stretch of games where IU plays four out of five contests on the road to end the regular season schedule. Indiana is one of four Big Ten schools that have a five-game span with four on the road along with Illinois, Iowa and Purdue.
Media Contact: Ryan Sheets, rmsheets@indiana.edu
