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Dominique Oden 11 5-8 • G • Fr. Oden has been the surprise of the non- conference season, and a major reason why the Boilermakers rebounded after their slow start. The freshman has a willingness to go get points, whether it's shooting from three-point range — she had 15 triples in the first 12 games — or by driving to the basket, either getting there or pulling up in the mid-range. It's rare to see as developed an offensive player this early in a career. Oden hasn't shown many nerves, rather has played beyond her years. She's been efficient, hitting better than 48 percent of her shots through the first dozen games, while totaling only a dozen turnovers. Ae'Rianna Harris 32 6-1 • F • Fr. By the start of December, Harris started to find her footing — and thus her leaping — to help the Boilermakers particularly on the defensive end and on the glass. Through the first dozen games, including a couple starts, she was averaging 4.9 rebounds in only 18.6 minutes per game, an average that would equate to 10.5 over 40 minutes. And she's been great at stopping dribble penetration, because she's been able to block shots, averaging one-and-a-half per game. She's raw offensively — she wasn't asked to score in high school — but has been a surprise early at Purdue, showing a better-than-expected back-to-the- basket game with soft touch near the hoop. Bridget Perry 13 6-2 • F • Sr. Perry's senior season started slowly, but the forward picked up the pace once the calendar hit December. Her ability to move outside, where she'd hit nine three-pointers already in the first 12 games, has served to open up the rest of Purdue's offense. Instead of allowing defenders to sag off, clogging up the lane, she's been willing to fire from the perimeter. She still gets sped up on occasion, but those moments when she's out of control offensively are fewer than previous years. Maybe she could rebound a bit better, at 5.1 in mid-December, but she's been a solid defender. Andreona Keys 10 5-10 • G • Jr. Sharon Versyp calls Keys the "glue," and with good reason, because the junior forward does so much for the Boilermakers. Through the first 12 games, she was Purdue's fourth- leading scorer, at 8.8 per game, and its leading rebounder, at 6.5. The latter point has been critical to Purdue's offense, because it's allowed the Boilermakers to get into transition without having to outlet first. And with Purdue's injuries, Keys has been asked to do more — and it already was already a lot — because she'd had to pick up a few minutes at the point, play some off- guard and defend, frequently, the opponent's best player. Meet The Boilermakers Ashley Morrissette 1 5-9 • G • Sr. The senior has taken to playing point guard full time better than most could have anticipated, because she's been willing to sacrifice her own shooting at times to facilitate the offense. Considering the volume of shots she'd taken during the last couple of years, frequently with too low an efficiency rate, it's a big change. But the more-patient Morrissette's shooting percentage is up, allowing her to continue to score — 15.1 points per game as of mid-December — while also leading the offense. She has a near 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Starters — Kyle Charters GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 3 76