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VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2 79 A fter last season, Torrie Thornton had a deci- sion to make. The injuries had been maddening, first the double knee tendonitis surgery a few years back — compounded by an arduous rehabilitation — then a broken right foot that ended last season earlier than planned. She'd graduated, with a de- gree in public health promotions and minors in OLS and psychology, and faced at least six more months of rehab. So why not move on? She talked to family, Coach Sharon Versyp, trainer Jessica Lipsett and others, searching for an answer. "And all of them were like, 'What do you really want to do?'" Thornton said. "And I'm like, 'I want to play. I just want to play. I want to have a season where I'm healthy enough to play the way I want to play.' "Talking to them, it wasn't really any question, especially how we left last year. I came here for a reason and I feel like I haven't quite gotten what I came here for yet, and I feel like this extra year is the last go-around. Why not play?" Particularly since Thornton is feeling as healthy as ever, or at least as healthy as a nearly 23-year-old twice-surgically-repaired forward can. Thornton beat the scheduled timetable for her six-month recov- ery period for the broken foot, being physically able to play for the Boiler- makers in their overseas trip to Italy in early August. That proved to her that the deci- sion to return was a good one. "I'm never going to be back to where I feel like 100 percent," she said in mid-October, shortly after Purdue started official practices. "But I'm probably as good as I'm go- ing to get and I'm feeling really good. It's just a matter of how I'm feeling on the court and I'm not having those pains, like I was having in the past." The pains have prevented Thorn- ton from having the kind of impact she's wanted at Purdue. She's played some, but never more than the 13.5 minutes per game she averaged last season, and had moments where she popped off the bench to give the Boilermakers a needed boost. Before last year, Versyp called her Purdue's "X-factor" because the coach thought Thornton would be able to change games defensively and on the glass. And that happened, if only for brief periods; Thornton had nine points, six rebounds and three steals in a win over Minnesota, Purdue's last victory of the regular season Jan. 22. That was the start of a five-game stretch in which she averaged nearly five rebounds per game, plus had a total of 20 points, five blocks and five steals in only 15.8 minutes per game. It was as closely reminiscent of her time at Carm- el High School as she's experienced recently. Back then, the 6-footer was a versatile player, one who could affect a game in a variety of ways. During her senior season, she averaged 15.1 points, 8.9 re- bounds, 3.6 blocks, 2.8 steals and 2.4 assists. She CERAMIC • ENGINEERED HARDWOOD LAMINATES • MARBLE CARPETING Specializing in • Homes • Businesses • Churches • Schools Where Contractors Buy Their Flooring Builders! Call our Contract Department and ask for our Contract Specialist 3437 South Street 765-447-9393 800-403-6889 FAX 765-448-9978 Across from the Post Office GO BOILERS