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w o m e n ' s b a s k e t b a l l u p d a t e Winning With Offense Boilers off to best start in last 10 seasons BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com "I think it's really hard for other teams to try to stop us offensively," said Ostarello, who shared game-high urdue's off to its best start in the last decade, but honors once with Manuel. "We just it's not doing it the way many might expect. have so many people who can score The Boilermakers, who were ranked 13th in the and are willing to score. It's good." country in mid-December, are winning with offense, Although Purdue's off to a solid scoring 71.6 points per game, the fourth-best mark in start, it's done so without a marquee the Big Ten. That's up an average of nearly six points victory. Its only chance vs. a ranked from a year ago. opponent came against the Huskies And the Boilermakers, who won 10 of their first in the Paradise Jam over the Thanks11 with the only defeat coming at the hands of No. 2 giving, but the Boilermakers were Connecticut, have upped their offensive productivity in blown out. large part due to multiple weapons. In the first 11 games It has wins, however, against of the season, Purdue did not have the same high scorer quality opponents like Georgia Tech for consecutive contests. and Central Michigan, potential "I really like our offensive flow," Coach Sharon Ver- NCAA Tournament teams. The Boilersyp said. "I like that we share the basketball and we're makers likely will get their next major having more assists than we have in the past, which is test vs. fifth-ranked Notre Dame on great. … You can't just shut one player down." Dec. 29 in South Bend. Purdue had five different leading scorers in the first It'll be the final tune-up before the 11 games, divided between Courtney Moses (three), Big Ten. KK Houser (three), Sam Ostarello (three), Drey Mingo Purdue wants to see its defense, (two) and Taylor Manuel (one). the hallmark of Versyp's teams during her tenure, pick up a bit. The 2012-13 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Boilers allowed SCHEDULE 58.3 points per Date Game Time/ResultTV game through Nov. 4 LINDSEY WILSON (exh.) W, 89-33 — the first 11, only Nov. 10 USC UPSTATE W, 82-47 PurdueSports.com Nov. 17 at SIU-Edwardsville W, 66-51 — No. 6 in the Nov. 19 BOWLING GREEN W, 59-45 BTN league. Nov. 22 vs. Marist^ W, 71-50 — It hasn't afNov. 23 vs. Wake Forest^ W, 67-53 — fected the BoilNov. 24 vs. No. 2 Connecticut^ L, 57-91 Tom Campbell ers in the win KK Houser was Purdue's leading scorer through 11 games, and one of Nov. 28 GEORGIA TECH* W, 85-73 BTDN column, but it three Boilermakers averaging in double figures. Dec. 2 CENTRAL MICHIGAN W, 87-71 BTN Dec. 6 at IPFW W, 69-54 — could. the defensive standpoint, where we need to get better. Dec. 9 at Tennessee-Martin W, 68-60 — "Overall, we're right where We've allowed teams 65-plus points on multiple occaDec. 16 at Oakland W, 77-46 — we need to be in the win-loss catsions — at least we're scoring more — but we've really Dec. 21 IUPUI Noon BTDN egory," Ostarello said. "It's just in got to lock down on that." Dec. 29 at Notre Dame 2 p.m. — Jan. 2 at Illinois 8 p.m. BTDN The defense would likely be helped by the return Jan. 5 at Nebraska 2 p.m. CBS of forward Chantel Poston. The senior has been out Big Ten Jan. 14 OHIO STATE 6:30/7:30 p.m. BTN since the UConn game on Nov. 24 because of a left Jan. 17 MINNESOTA 7 p.m. BTDN standings knee injury that required surgery. She's not expected Jan. 20 at Iowa 4 p.m. BTN (Through Dec. 17) to return until early January, at the soonest. Jan. 24 NORTHWESTERN 8:30 p.m. BTN TeamOverall/Pct. Perhaps that'd be in time for the Big Ten season. Jan. 27 at Michigan State 4 p.m. ESPN2 PURDUE10-1/.909 Jan. 31 INDIANA 6:30 p.m. BTN Once in conference play, Purdue can expect to see a Michigan State 9-1/.900 Feb. 4 at Penn State 7 p.m. ESPN2 veteran league, which started the year with four teams Michigan9-2/.818 Feb. 10 MICHIGAN Noon BTN ranked in the top 25. Only two remain — Penn State, Penn State 9-2/.818 Feb. 14 at Wisconsin 8 p.m. BTDN Minnesota9-3/.750 which was No. 11 in mid-December, and Purdue — Feb. 17 IOWA 5 p.m. ESPN2 Iowa8-3/.727 but five others are receiving votes. Feb. 20 at Indiana 7 p.m. BTDN Nebraska8-3/.727 "It comes down to winning the games you need to Feb. 24 at Minnesota 1 p.m. ESPN2 Wisconsin7-3/.700 Feb. 28 MICHIGAN STATE TBA BTN/BTN.com win and stealing some on the road," Versyp said. "But Ohio State 7-3/.700 March 3 ILLINOIS TBA BTN/BTN.com I think the competition from top to bottom is still just Indiana7-4/.636 March 7-10 Big Ten Tournament (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) as tough, if not tougher, than last year. Then, we had Illinois6-4/.600 ^ Paradise Jam (University of Virgin Islands) a young conference, with a lot of returners, so that's Northwestern6-4/.600 * ACC/Big Ten Challenge very good for the Big Ten." j P 48 • Gold & Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 3 GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com