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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 23 • 22 give a few more days within the schedule, but coach- es vetoed the proposal. The conference wants to start on Christmas Eve the following year, Versyp said. "We have to veto that too," she said. The Boilermakers' full 2015-16 schedule will be unveiled this spring, with plans to announce the non-conference schedule in mid-April. TERPS GO UNDEFEATED Maryland has yet to lose a game in the Big Ten. The Terrapins completed an undefeated con- ference slate, going 18-0 to claim the title and the Big Ten Tournament's top seed. They bested sec- ond-place Iowa by four games. Maryland is only the third team in conference history to have an undefeated league season, join- ing Ohio State and Purdue, which did it during its national championship year in 1998-99. ALL-BIG TEN ANNOUNCED MONDAY The Big Ten Player-of-the-Year race is a close one. With preseason winner Rachel Banham having missed most of the season with an ACL injury — she'll return for her fifth year in 2015-16 — the award might go to a teammate. Gopher Center Amanda Zahui B., who is fourth in the league in scoring (18.5), first in rebounding (12.7) and first in blocks (4.0). Iowa's Samantha Logic and Michigan State's Aerial Powers are also possibilities, as is Ohio State freshman Kelsey Mitchell. The Terrapins, although the Big Ten's top team, likely will not produce the Player-of-the-Year, due largely to their balanced attack. But Shatori Walker- Kimbrough, Lexie Brown and Brionna Jones are all possbilities for first-team All-Big Ten honors. (The Big Ten puts 10 on its first team in women's basketball). Mitchell, who averages a league-best 24.5 points per game, will be the Freshman-of-the-Year, while Maryland's Brenda Frese could win Coach-of- the-Year after her Terps went 18-0. For Purdue, forward Whitney Bays is the most likely to be honored. For more, click here. j week earlier than the men's, there's little room for byes. Purdue, for in- stance, recently played four games in a 10-day stretch, a not uncom- mon occurrence for Big Ten team. "It's tough, especially if you don't have a long bench," Versyp said. "We just need them healthy. If you don't have healthy players, it's obviously very hard for us. "You've got to have more kids. Hopefully you have that 13 to 15 roster. I've never wanted 15 kids, but 15 is where you have to go, because you're going to have some injuries along the way and you've got to have depth. "We have to revamp a lot of things, because it's been a strug - gle to a lot of different things for many reasons." The Big Ten wanted its teams to start conference play on Christ- mas Day next season, in an effort to #1 Maryland #4 N'western #2 Iowa #3 Ohio State 7 p.m. BTN Sears Centre Arena Hoffman Estates, Ill. All times Eastern 21ST ANNUAL WOMEN'S BIG TEN TOURNAMENT Wednesday, March 4 Thursday, March 5 Friday, March 6 Saturday, March 7 Sunday, March 8 :25 After :25 After BTN 7 p.m. BTN :25 After BTN 7 p.m. ESPN 12:30 p.m. BTN #9 Mich. State #5 Rutgers :25 After BTN #7 Nebraska 7 p.m. BTN :25 After BTN #6 Minnesota #12 Indiana #11 Wisconsin 6 p.m. BTN Plus :25 After BTN Plus #13 Penn State #14 Purdue 12:30 p.m. BTN #8 Michigan #10 Illinois SHOP OFFICIAL PURDUE GEAR BASKETBALL FEVER FOLLETT'S PURDUE BOOKSTORES Purdue West - Black & Gold Mine /FollettsPurdueBookstores follettspurdue.com