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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 2 75 sition, a couple of power forwards who can step out on the floor offensively. "It's a key spot on the floor," Versyp said. "They're the ones who are the screen-and-rollers. They're the ones who can shoot the ball. They're like what we call the point forward, like a point guard, but they've got to be great passers, creating for others, the best rebounders. We've always had that 4 spot that has been really, really import- ant to us. I think we have the combination of the right skill set, it's just they've not played college (basketball), and are still learning the game. But their basketball IQ continues to grow, and they're workers. So that's all I can ask for, if they constantly want to work and get better." Purdue could use Harris at the 4, especially when it wants to go big, but mostly the 6-1 second-year Boiler- maker will be featured in the post, as she was late last season when she helped Purdue surge to the postseason. With Harris in the starting lineup, where she spent the last nine games, the Boilermakers finished with a 10-4 record. Easy to see why: Harris gave Purdue an interior rim protector that it otherwise lacked, and she finished the season with 75 blocked shots, setting a new Purdue freshman record. When the Boilermakers want size on the floor, and they'll likely need it during the Big Ten, they can turn to 6-6 Nora Kiesler and 6-4 Fatou Diagne. They might not have overwhelming skill — Kiesler averaged 1.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per game last season, while Diagne av- eraged 3.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in about 10 minutes at her J.C. — but they do have length. The problem to start the season is injury; Diagne, Far- quhar and Kiesler are out to start the season, but expect- ed to return before the Hawaii trip near Thanksgiving. That will be mitigated by the first several opponents, none of which will overwhelm Purdue with size. But Pur- due will need the trio back, and when they return, Versyp expects a significant bump on the glass. It's needed this season. "When you're a young team, you've got to box out, you've got to get loose balls, you've got to get the put- backs," she said. "You've got to get some of those hustle plays, because maybe you're not going to be totally orga- nized all the time." Purdue made those plays down the stretch last season, when it rallied from seemingly out of the NCAA picture into it. Then, the Boilermakers won seven consecutive games to drive to the Big Ten Tournament championship game, upsetting top-10 Ohio State in the semis before falling to No. 4 Maryland in the title game. In the NCAA Tournament, Purdue blasted Green Bay in the first round, then nearly had the upset of the sea- son — at least until that point — when it took top-seed Notre Dame into overtime on its home court. It was quite the change from only a month previous, when Purdue was sitting 15-11 following a loss at Penn State and in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons. The Boilermakers don't want to start slowly this sea- son, putting themselves in a deep hole that forces an uphill climb. And it's a reason why Keys set a tone early in workouts. "Keys came in right at the beginning of the summer," Oden said, "and said, 'We're going to the Big Ten cham- pionship (game) and this time we're going to win. This is the opportunity for us to get better and get to where we want to be.' "She's made that very clear from the start. That's what she wants us to work for. She's stepping up and making sure we know that we all need to work hard. There's no opportunity for us to be taking off plays." Purdue thinks that should be its culture, what had gotten the program to the top nationally years ago. The Boilermakers thought they reclaimed some of that with the end-of-season run. "The biggest thing when I say Purdue's back (is) we've got the culture back," Versyp said. "We've got the culture of good character, good kids, the want-to not the have-to. Not feeling like you should receive and not give. It's the culture. "... I think we have talent and I'm intrigued and we have so many pieces to the puzzle, I can't yet foresee (the outcome), but with great leaders and great culture, you're going to get better, there's no question. We have very skilled and talented kids. It's how quickly we can get on the same page? But I'm excited, because we're young and we can do some really good things." j