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72 ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 25, ISSUE 2 f BOILERMAKER BREAKDOWN OFFENSE Purdue's offense will have a different look this season, with a majority of its scoring coming from the interior, led by forwards Whitney Bays and Liza Clemons, two likely double-figure scorers. Bays could be one of the most dynamic scorers in Pur- due history — and that's saying a lot — because she can beat opponents with her athleticism in the post, shoot from the perimeter and break defenders down on the dribble. But for the Boilermakers to have the kind of production they had a year ago — that could be hard, considering the nearly 75 points per game ranked 10th at the program all-time — Bays will need scoring help, ideally from the perimeter. Purdue replaces 1,000-point scoring guards Courtney Moses and KK Houser, both excellent shooters from the perimeter, largely with inexperience. April Wilson, who has generally been a distributor her first two seasons, will be tasked with scoring more, and she's capable. But Ashley Morrissette and Hayden Hamby, the two likely candidates to fill the shooting guard spot, are unproven. They'll need to be on target if the Boilermakers are to replicate last season's shooting, when they hit nearly 38 percent of their three-pointers. And Purdue has long sought a scoring option on the wing. Is that player Bridget Perry? Perhaps so, but Purdue has more defensive-oriented options there, too, like Torrie Thornton. DEFENSE Purdue thinks this will be a better defensive team than a season ago. Then, the Boilermakers had to rely on their speed on the perimeter, but when that didn't work, they struggled to match up physically. And their interior defense struggled much of the season. Both weaknesses hurt in the NCAA Tournament's second round, when Purdue lost to Oklahoma State. Last season, the Boilermakers allowed 68 points per game, the third-worst in the league, and opponents hit 40.6 percent from the field, only No. 8 in the Big Ten. But the Boilermakers are bigger now, particularly on the inside and at the wing. And with that size, Sharon Versyp could decide to play more zone defenses, like she did early in her tenure at Purdue. Then, she used the Boilermakers' length to help keep opponents out of the paint. And with Clemons, Bree Horrocks, Erica Moore and Haley Bodnar, when she's healthy, Purdue has similar options. Wilson can be a lock-down-type defender on the perim- eter, but there are questions about others at that position on the court. Morrissette struggled mightily to defend last season, because of want to and ability — she wasn't physically strong enough — and Hamby works hard at it but is limited. When Thornton's at the wing, she can slow opponents down because of her wing span. But Perry, while a better scorer, isn't the defender. REBOUNDING This should be a Purdue strength. Bays averaged 9.2 rebounds per game in the Big Ten last season and could see that increase to double figures this year. And Clemons could see her 5.5 per game average take a jump, too. Plus, its young size on the interior should be able to help out on the glass. The Boilermakers didn't rebound particularly well from the guard spots last season, but increased size at the wing should help to improve that. Last season, Purdue was middle of the road in its board work, averaging about plus-3.5 per game. It has little rea- son not to be a league leader this year. DEPTH Purdue's youth makes this a huge question. The seven-man bench is made up, most likely, of five freshmen. But there's potential with each, from defensive ability, physicality and length of Bodnar, Horrocks and Moore in the frontcourt, to the potential scoring of Justine Hall and Andreona Keys. But how quickly they pick up Purdue's system might be the determining factor of playing time. Hamby and Perry should bring something to the table, most likely scoring ability, and give Purdue experienced players first off the bench. INTANGIBLES Purdue has several players who play with a bit of a chip on their shoulder, a characteristic that — if pointed in the right direction — can serve them well. Bays, Clemons and Wilson don't like to back down, and if the trio can get others to follow, then it could be a good formula for success. — Kyle Charters