Gold and Black's Women's Hoops Lineup
The
Starters
KK Houser 22
G • 5-6 • Jr.
After slumping for the
first half dozen games
in the Big Ten, Houser
broke out offensively at a
critical time for the Boilers, scoring 16 points on
7-of-17 shooting in the
overtime win vs. Michigan State. And she continued her torrid
rebounding during league play, pulling
in a career-high 10. She's now averaging
5.3 rebounds in conference, along with
almost six assists and 9.4 points per game.
The
Reserves
Hayden Hamby 10
G • 5-7 • Fr.
Hamby has given the Boilermakers some solid spot minutes, as she makes very few
mistakes on either the offensive or defensive end. But she
needs physical development,
which would help her get shots off more
quickly at this level. Perhaps that can then
help her develop into the offensive player
she was at the high school level.
Joslyn Massey 21
F • 6-0 • Fr.
Massey has played only one
minute during Big Ten play, as
Purdue has plenty of veterans
at the wing. She'd be in line to
get more minutes at the end
of blowout wins, but the Boilers have been unable to put teams away.
Liza Clemons 23
F • 6-2 • So.
Clemons has been the season's biggest mystery. After
a nice run in the postseason
last year, she was set back
by shoulder surgery. It was
thought she'd be able to
return to form by the Big Ten. But in league
play, she looks lost on both ends of the
court and isn't playing as a result. She's been
in only 16 minutes during the Big Ten.
Camille Redmon 42
C • 6-4 • So.
Redmon hasn't played the
last two games as Purdue's
gone with a shorter bench.
She can be a value when
opponents have superior
height on the front line, like
Iowa did when she played
five minutes.
Chantel Poston 43
SF • 5-10 • Sr. (5)
Poston's still not back fully
after the knee injury — and
subsequent surgery — but
she's trying to play through it.
She played only nine minutes
vs. Michigan State, but had
three rebounds and a block
during that time. She's capable of giving
much more, but needs to be healthier for
her athleticism to shine through.
Taylor Manuel 50
PF • 6-2 • Fr.
After a slow start to the Big
Ten, Manuel has really come
on, putting together the best
three-game stretch of her career. She's scored a combined
28 points the last two games
— and had 12 rebounds
three outings ago — as she's adjusted to
opponents trying to double-team her in
the post.
Courtney Moses 15
G • 5-7 • Jr.
Michigan State, likely
the best defensive team
in the Big Ten, has been
able to regularly shut
down the opponent's
best perimeter scorer.
And Sunday was no different, as Moses scored
only eight in 44 minutes. But Northwestern days before couldn't bring that sort
of pressure, and the Wildcats paid. Moses
scored 26, going over the 1,000-point
mark for her career and leading Purdue
to a win.
Dee Dee Williams
20
G • 6-0 • Jr.
Williams was held
scoreless in 30 minutes
against the Spartans, but
scoring's not generally
her role. She was the
on-ball defender during
MSU's last possession in
regulation, when Purdue held on to force
overtime. But Williams is scoring some
these days; Sunday marked the first game
she was held without a point since late
November. Back then, she scored two or
less in each of Purdue's first seven games.
Sam Ostarello 32
F • 6-2 • Sr.
It seems only illness
can slow Ostarello
down these days. The
forward, who had four
double-doubles during
a five-game stretch, had
only three points and
six rebounds against the
Spartans. But she did so after being far less
than 100-percent as she became the latest
Boilermaker to feel ill. Even with the off
day, she's averaging 11.4 points and 13.1
rebounds in seven Big Ten games.
Drey Mingo 24
F • 6-2 • Sr. (6)
Mingo is showing signs
of being back to top
form, particularly after
scoring 22 points on
10-of-14 shooting with
10 rebounds against the
Spartans. It's the best
she's looked offensively
since her return from the ACL injury that
cost her all of the 2011-12 season. Mingo
looked aggressive, posting up hard and
calling for the ball when she felt she was
open. In conference, she's averaging 14.3
points and six boards.
April Wilson 25
G • 5-7 • Fr.
After Houser fouled out early
in overtime of the Michigan
State game, Wilson was
forced into critical minutes.
And she responded, hitting
a baseline jumper that put
Purdue up three late. She scored six points
in 16 minutes off the bench, slightly exceeding her production thus far during the Big
Ten.
The Shelf
Bays and Thornton are redshirting
as both recover from offseason
knee surgeries.
Whitney Bays
52
F • 6-2 • Jr.
Torrie
Thornton 4
F • 6-0 • So.
GoldanDBlack express • volume 23, express 19 • 21
