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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 26, Digital 5

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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED OLUME 26, ISSUE 5 71 Reserves Abby Abel 2 5-5 • G • So. Abel, a walk-on, is a good student, hard worker and great teammate. She's also unlikely to play a whole lot, getting in only when the Boilermakers are up a bunch. She played in three games for a total of five minutes as a freshman. Nora Kiesler 12 6-6 • C • So. Kiesler's height and willingness to be physical with opposing centers are her big- gest attributes. But this offseason, her first full with the Boilermakers, she has to get into better shape so that she can use those positively. That means have quicker feet, with better defensive rotations, so she can use her length as a defensive presence. And she needs to develop interior offensive moves, because too often she was blocked, despite a height advantage. Bree Horrocks 22 6-5 • C • Jr. Horrocks made a big leap from Year 1 to 2, looking more like a player who could have an impact on the interior. At times, she showed off a good face-up offensive game, hitting 5- to 10-foot jumpers that would draw defenders out of the paint. But bad matchups, like against quicker play- ers, were a problem, and she wasn't always as physical as needed, like against Michigan State or Oklahoma late in the season. Two big targeted areas of improvement this offseason. Lamina Cooper 5-8 • G • Fr. After taking a year-long hiatus follow- ing graduation from Lawrence North High School, Cooper signed a scholarship tender in April to come back to the Boilermakers. The break wasn't all bad, because it gave her an opportu- nity to rehab — mentally as much as physically — from an ACL tear in the state playoffs in 2015. If Cooper's back to pre-injury form, then she'll be an intense defender and improving jump-shooter. Miracle Gray 5-7 • G • Fr. The opportunity for early playing time is there for Gray, with the Boilermakers not having a true backup point guard — Morrissette likely will serve as the primary backup, as she was last season. The sister of associate head coach Nadine Morgan, Gray comes from a basketball family, so fundamentals of the position should come naturally. Ae'Rianna Harris 6-1 • F • Fr. Harris might be exactly what the Boiler- makers need, at least in terms of an interior defensive presence. She's an outstanding shot-blocker and defender, those two attri- butes alone making her a top-50 player nationally in the 2016 class. The Boilermakers were sorely missing that last season. Harris, who is still developing an offensive game, could back up at the 4 or play an undersized 5 if the Boilermakers chose a smaller lineup. Dominique Oden 5-7 • G • Fr. A freshman guard, either Oden or Gray, should be able to find quality backup min- utes, because outside of Morrissette Purdue doesn't have much experience in the backcourt. Oden is a bit of a combo guard, capable of running the point but better-suited as a scoring off-guard. Purdue's in search of both of those.

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