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w o m e n ' s b a s k e t b a l l Gold and Black's Women's Hoops Lineup The Starters April Wilson 25 G • 5-7 • So. After slumping early in the season, Wilson's shot came around in early December, providing Purdue with yet another outside scoring threat. But she doesn't need to score to be a factor. Rather, the point guard has proven to be a solid distributor — she averaged 4.3 assists per game through the first nine — and good defender. Opponents want to be able to sag off of her to focus on others, but if she keeps shooting it well, they won't be able to do so. Courtney Moses 15 G • 5-6 • Sr. Moses is being about as efficient as possible. Through nine games, she was leading Purdue in scoring, at 15.2 points, even though she was held scoreless in the Boilermakers' opener. But not only that, she's doing so while shooting nearly 52 percent from the field and 45 percent from three-point range. In back-to-back games in early December, she exploded in the second half, shooting the Boilermakers to wins over IPFW and at Kansas. KK Houser 22 G • 5-6 • Sr. (5) Houser's move to the wing has given her more scoring opportunities, and she's taken advantage, averaging a careerhigh 14.6 points per game. She misses some shots — through those nine games, the senior was shooting only 32.5 percent from the field — but when she's dialed in, she has proven hard to slow, even against premier competition like Stanford and Duke. Perhaps no other Boilermaker has a greater ability to break down a defense. The Reserves Whitney Bays 32 F • 6-2 • Jr. Bays has been a regular double-figure scorer for the Boilermakers, giving Purdue needed balance on the inside. Considering few knew what to expect from the oft-injured former transfer, the results have been more than favorable. There's likely room for growth; once Bays gets her feel for the game back entirely, and trusts her surgically repaired knee. Then her game might rise to another level. Hayden Hamby 10 G • 5-7 • So. Hamby's not been the scorer she was in high school — perhaps that will come — but she's found other ways to contribute. Defensively, she's tenacious, unafraid to get after opponents. And she's rebounded well in her limited minutes, averaging nearly two per game in only nine minutes. She's good for the occasional basket, too, seemingly at a moment Purdue needs one. She hit a big three-pointer to help rally the Boilers at Kansas. Camille Redmon 42 C • 6-4 • Jr. Redmon's been a bit of a surprise. She has been effective, particularly against opponents who have a big, physical interior, like Stanford or Duke. It helps tremendously when she can make something good happen early, giving her a boost of confidence. She's averaged a couple rebounds and about a block per game. Torrie Thornton 4 F • 6-0 • So. Thornton's an athletic frontcourt option for Sharon Versyp, and she's been an effective rebounder, especially at the offensive end. It's there, and on defense, that she will earn playing time. Mistakes have come too often, however, with her turning the ball over. Clean that up and her P.T. could increase, too. 80 Dee Dee Williams 20 F • 6-0 • Sr. Williams is playing a frontcourt position for the Boilermakers this season, showing off her versatility. In her career, she's played at the point, on the wing and now in the post. Scoring's not her forte, but against IPFW in early December, she hit double figures. But Purdue's relying on her for other tangibles, like rebounding and defense, and intangibles, such as leadership. IllustrateD volume 24, issue 3 Ashley Morrissette 1 G • 5-9 • Fr. Morrissette has to find her spots, and she's doing an excellent job of it. Buried on the bench at times due to Purdue's depth of experience at guard, Morrissette's minutes have been sporadic, but her production has not. The rookie was averaging nearly five points in only 8.2 minutes per game through mid-December. And she's shooting nearly 58 percent from the field. Liza Clemons 23 F • 6-2 • Jr. From a basketball perspective, Clemons has dealt with personal loss, the death of her fiancé, about as well as anyone could expect. She's made significant strides from seasons previous, when injury and illness kept her from 100 percent. Now, she's hugely valuable because she's a threat to score, rebound and defend. She's had foul trouble at times, and with Purdue's limited frontcourt options, that's been a huge hindrance. But when she's available, she's played well. Bridget Perry 13 F • 6-2 • Fr. Perry's giving Purdue a bigger guard on the perimeter, but she's probably not yet using that size to her advantage. The wing is averaging less than a rebound per game through the first nine; if she wants to make a bigger impact, she might be able to do so there. That said, Perry's shown offensive skill, particularly on the perimeter, where she hit six of her first 14 attempts from long distance. The Deep Bench Joslyn Massey 21 F • 6-0 • So. — Kyle Charters f