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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 4 75 T amara Farquhar might have hoped to ease into a role with the Boilermakers in her first season. No such luck. Instead, the rookie from Canada has been pressed into significant action — and been a starter late in the season — be- cause of injuries to a couple teammates and an illness to another. Rather than gradually adjusting to high-level American basket- ball, where the players are bigger, stronger, more athletic and more skilled, the 6-foot forward has learned by playing. And what she's found at Purdue is a game that's a lot more reliant on players' instincts than what she was used to back home. "They're a lot more crafty (here) than we are in Montreal," Farquhar said. "In Mon- treal, we're a little more robotic." And the distinct difference in styles has led to some growing pains for Farquhar in Season 1 in West Lafayette. But showing up more often than not are moments when it's evident why Farquhar was a priority as a recruit for Sharon Versyp, even if she was across the border. In Purdue's biggest win of the season, the February victory at No. 10 Maryland, Farquhar matched her high with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting, making the Terrapins pay for not prioritizing her defensively, plus had six rebounds. A game later, she had a career-high 13 boards in a loss at No. 16 Ohio State, plus scored eight points. "It didn't start off (impactful for her), definitely in the beginning of the season and even a couple games ago, but she's re- ally finding that, 'OK, I can rebound and go hard and help on offense,'" senior Andreo- na Keys said late in the season, following those mid-February games versus the best in the Big Ten. "She's got great length and Farquhar learning the game through ups and downs BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com Study Hall Charles Jischke / Purdue Athletics Tamara Farquhar's length and athleti- cism, a reason why so many think she has so much poten- tial, has shown up at times this season, like when she had 13 rebounds at national- ly ranked Ohio State.