It's been evident all season, and even more so on Thursday: Purdue needs its defense on point to be able to consistently win this season.
It wasn't against Minnesota on New Year's Day, as the visiting Golden Gophers put up 81 points, including 48 in the paint, to beat the Boilermakers (8-5 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten) by 13.
"We all were not very good on defense," Coach Sharon Versyp said. "No energy. Watching the video back, all of us collectively had never played that poorly. Hopefully, it's just out of our system now. A couple defenders didn't do what they needed to do, but it was just a collect very poor effort and not a lot of energy there, so that's what we have to clean up."
Purdue likely needs to keep scoring down. Its offense is averaging 66 points per game, 12th in the 14-team Big Ten, while shooting only 38.7 percent, last in the league (and only team under 40 percent).
The Boilermakers' defensive numbers aren't bad: No. 6 in points allowed, at 59.7, and ninth in percentage, at 37.6. But in five loses, two in overtime, they've allowed 74.1.
"We're still struggling scoring from the outside," Versyp said. "We've got to be able to play defense, to keep it in the 60s, because we just don't put a lot of points up."
• With the Boilermakers' energy appearing down vs. the Gophers, Versyp says someone needed to step up, correct it and give them a boost.
She says senior captain Liza Clemons can be that player. But against the Gophers, the forward suffered a cut on her nose in the first half, had to come out briefly, then picked up her second foul almost immediately after reentering.
"Liza was kind of in and out of it (Thursday)," Versyp said. "She's the glue, she's the one that can have that leadership role, can get in peoples' faces, people need to respond. She was the glue at Illinois.
"We need somebody to step up and start making defensive plays and that didn't happen (Thursday)."
• Defense could be tested against Indiana at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The Hoosiers (11-2, 1-1) average nearly 81 per game, third in the Big Ten, while shooting 47 percent. And Purdue's transition defense was bad vs. Minnesota, allowing officially 10 fast-break points.
"They run," Versyp said of the Hoosiers. "They get it and go. Any rebounder who gets it, just goes, except for their big kid. They all can shoot the three very well, they all can attack the hole very well."
• Forward Torrie Thornton might have been the lone bright spot Thursday, playing perhaps her best game ever.
The junior had a career-high nine points, with a season-high six rebounds, against Minnesota, in only 16 minutes. She also had three steals, a block and an assist.
"She was the highlight," Versyp said. "She was very productive. If she keeps doing that, then obviously those (minutes) will go up. It'd be great if she could play 25 to 30. And I think now, her body, her knees, her feet, everything has kind of gotten to where it needs to be. But she was extremely effective."
• Players were unavailable to the media Friday morning, after the loss Thursday afternoon.
Versyp wanted them talking, but in a closed-door meeting in the locker room before practice.
"They will have a lot to say," Versyp said. "Because if they don't speak, we won't leave the locker room."
It wasn't against Minnesota on New Year's Day, as the visiting Golden Gophers put up 81 points, including 48 in the paint, to beat the Boilermakers (8-5 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten) by 13.
"We all were not very good on defense," Coach Sharon Versyp said. "No energy. Watching the video back, all of us collectively had never played that poorly. Hopefully, it's just out of our system now. A couple defenders didn't do what they needed to do, but it was just a collect very poor effort and not a lot of energy there, so that's what we have to clean up."
Purdue likely needs to keep scoring down. Its offense is averaging 66 points per game, 12th in the 14-team Big Ten, while shooting only 38.7 percent, last in the league (and only team under 40 percent).
The Boilermakers' defensive numbers aren't bad: No. 6 in points allowed, at 59.7, and ninth in percentage, at 37.6. But in five loses, two in overtime, they've allowed 74.1.
"We're still struggling scoring from the outside," Versyp said. "We've got to be able to play defense, to keep it in the 60s, because we just don't put a lot of points up."
• With the Boilermakers' energy appearing down vs. the Gophers, Versyp says someone needed to step up, correct it and give them a boost.
She says senior captain Liza Clemons can be that player. But against the Gophers, the forward suffered a cut on her nose in the first half, had to come out briefly, then picked up her second foul almost immediately after reentering.
"Liza was kind of in and out of it (Thursday)," Versyp said. "She's the glue, she's the one that can have that leadership role, can get in peoples' faces, people need to respond. She was the glue at Illinois.
"We need somebody to step up and start making defensive plays and that didn't happen (Thursday)."
• Defense could be tested against Indiana at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The Hoosiers (11-2, 1-1) average nearly 81 per game, third in the Big Ten, while shooting 47 percent. And Purdue's transition defense was bad vs. Minnesota, allowing officially 10 fast-break points.
"They run," Versyp said of the Hoosiers. "They get it and go. Any rebounder who gets it, just goes, except for their big kid. They all can shoot the three very well, they all can attack the hole very well."
• Forward Torrie Thornton might have been the lone bright spot Thursday, playing perhaps her best game ever.
The junior had a career-high nine points, with a season-high six rebounds, against Minnesota, in only 16 minutes. She also had three steals, a block and an assist.
"She was the highlight," Versyp said. "She was very productive. If she keeps doing that, then obviously those (minutes) will go up. It'd be great if she could play 25 to 30. And I think now, her body, her knees, her feet, everything has kind of gotten to where it needs to be. But she was extremely effective."
• Players were unavailable to the media Friday morning, after the loss Thursday afternoon.
Versyp wanted them talking, but in a closed-door meeting in the locker room before practice.
"They will have a lot to say," Versyp said. "Because if they don't speak, we won't leave the locker room."
