WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team returns to Mackey Arena looking to maintain its perfect home record on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tip against Evansville. Declan Little and Quinn Lennon will broadcast the game on B1G+.
Tim Newton and Jane Schott will have the call for the Purdue Global Radio Network on 95.3 BOB FM.
The Boilermakers have played their best ball this season at home with a perfect 4-0 record. Purdue is averaging 80 points per game, shooting 50.7% from the field and 40.9% from distance with nine 3-pointers per game, while dishing out 16.8 assists per night. On the defensive end, the Boilermakers have allowed just 61.3 points per night, while holding opponents to 36.9% from the floor and 28.4% from 3-point range.
PROMOTIONS
• Wine Wednesday – $5 Wine at the Breakaway Brews stand located by section 4
GAME NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Evansville 2-0.
• Returning from a year off, Madison Layden-Zay leads the Boilermakers in assists (17), 3-pointers (16), steals (9) and blocks (4).
• Layden-Zay became the 17th player in Purdue history to reach 100 career starts, reaching the century mark against Central Michigan and moving into a tie for 16th alongside Katie Gearlds. The fifth year is also 17th in Purdue history in minutes played with 3,704.
• Redshirt junior Tara Daye has been explosive for the Boilermakers, leading the team in scoring and rebounding with 11.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. The Newark, N.J., native is one of three Big Ten guards to average 11 points and 7.0 rebounds per game this season – UCLA’s Kiki Rice & Washington’s Avery Howell.
• Kiki Smith and Taylor Feldman are tied for second on the team in assists with 14. Smith set a career-high with six dimes against Howard, while Feldman has dished out a helper in each of the last five games.
• Hila Karsh shook off six points in three games to score nine at Central Michigan. The freshman is averaging 9.9 points per game while shooting 43.1% overall and 37% on 10 made 3-pointers.
• Lana McCarthy has averaged 11.0 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 76.5% over the last three games.
• Two Boilermakers rank in the top 13 of the Big Ten in minutes played. Layden-Zay is ninth with 32.6 minutes per game. Karsh is 13th with 31.1 minutes per night, which is also good for 18th nationally among all freshmen.
• Layden-Zay is 48 rebounds away from becoming the sixth player in Big Ten history to amass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, 200 3-pointers and 50 blocks in a career, including Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and Purdue’s Katie Gearlds.
• Purdue is 2-0 this season and 12-6 when making 10 or more 3-pointers since the start of the 2021-22 season.
• Purdue is averaging 25.3 bench points this season. The Boilermakers have won 44 games over the last five seasons when the bench has scored 20 or more points.
• The Boilermakers are 36-14 in non-conference action since the start of 2021-22 with a 28-3 mark at Mackey Arena.
• Wednesday will be a family affair for Madison Layden-Zay and McKenna Layden. Their parents, Jeff and Kathie, both had standout careers for the Purple Aces. Jeff was named to the Missouri Valley All-Bench Team and led the team in blocked shots in 1996-97, as well as 1993-94. Kathie finished her career with Evansville ranked seventh in career assists and tied for fourth in 3-pointers.
