Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/448706
GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 17 • 19 "The hardest thing in anything is staying consistent, especially as a freshman, but really pleased with how she's elevated her game and stepped up for a teammate." Now it'll be about that con- sistency. Perry was averaging 9.3 points and four rebounds before she was hurt, giving Purdue an at- tacking presence who could open up options for others. Keys will try to do the same. Since Perry's injury early against Maryland, Keys has averaged (in- cluding the Maryland game) about 29 minutes per game. "I think I can give us some more points, score if I need to, rebound- ing is definitely an emphasis that Coach V has for us," she said. "Crash the offen- sive boards, defensive rebounds, all of that, and being aggressive, locking down some- one, limiting someone." Keys says she's now more willing to try to have that kind of influ- ence. At first, as a fresh- man, she wanted to defer to others, picking her spots carefully; she can't be so passive now. "Starting out I was a little frantic, just didn't want to do too much," she said. "But my team- mates, they just want me to go, they want me to be loose, play and do what I do best. They don't have a problem with that." BREAKING THE SKID Purdue doesn't want three to turn into four, or maybe five, or perhaps more. The Boilermakers' current three-game los- ing streak is their longest in the Big Ten since 2011- 12. Four straight would be the longest since 2009-10; and five hasn't happened since the 1992-93 season. The Boilermakers spent Friday trying to right what is ailing them, holding meetings to discuss the is- sues. "We're just getting back into focus," senior captain Whitney Bays said. "We got together as a team, watched the film (of the loss to Wis- consin), spent some time together as a team away from basketball, just to talk about things and that was re- ally good for us." The Boilermakers (9-8 overall, 2-4 in the Big Ten) might be feeling a little tight, knowing that their sea- son hinges on the stretch against ranked opponents. Two of the three losses came vs. ranked foes Mary- land and Iowa, and the next two games, vs. Nebraska and Minne- Tom Campbell Without Bridget Perry (ankle sprain), Purdue loses an aggressive offensive player and solid rebounder. BIG TEN STANDINGS (Through Jan. 18) Team Big Ten/Pct. Overall/Pct 1. Maryland 15-2/882 6-0/1.000 2. Minnesota 16-2/.889 5-1/.833 Iowa 14-3/.824 5-1/.833 4. Michigan 12-5/.706 4-2/.667 5. Nebraska 13-3/.813 3-2/.600 6. Rutgers 13-5/.722 4-3/.571 Ohio State 12-7/.632 4-3/.571 8. Northwestern 13-4/.765 3-3/.500 9. Wisconsin 7-10/.412 3-4/.429 10. Indiana 12-5/.706 2-4/.333 Illinois 11-7/.611 2-4/.333 PURDUE 9-8/.529 2-4/.333 13. Michigan State 9-9/.500 1-6/.143 14. Penn State 3-15/.167 0-7/.000