Ashley Morrissette thinks she can lean on experience in picking up point guard responsibilities.
The sophomore will be Purdue's primary ball-handler now - and perhaps for the near future - with April Wilson sidelined due to a concussion. The junior didn't make the trip to New Jersey for the Boilermakers' (10-14 overall, 3-10 in the Big Ten) noon game against Rutgers.
Morrissette says that looking back on the Northwestern game, an overtime loss in which she played the last 20 or so minutes at the point following Wilson's injury, she sees she needs to be more vocal.
"(And) bring more energy than I have in the last few games," she said. "Make sure me and coach are on the same page, in terms of running what she wants to run and wants to do, like try to get the ball inside or set somebody up for a shot."
It'll be difficult against the Scarlet Knights (18-6, 9-4), one of the Big Ten's best defenses. Rutgers could full-court press the Boilermakers, a strategy they didn't do much of in a 58-49 victory in Mackey Arena. Coach Sharon Versyp says Purdue needs "poise and communication" from Morrissette.
"Poise and communication," Versyp said. "I think the Northwestern game will have prepared her, because the whole half she had to play without April helping her and designating and communicating and that type of pressure that Rutgers, or anybody, is now going to bring.
"The biggest thing is that everybody has to do better communicating, everybody has to step up, bring a little bit more, whether it's ball-handling, rebounding, whether it is. But I'm just going to keep it really simple, like five or six plays, then out of a timeout if we see something, then we can run something.
"But when you're trying to handle pressure and do all those sort of things, it's quite a bit for anybody put in those circumstances."
Purdue has a bit of experience without Wilson, having played the exhibition and opener without her after she was suspended the first two games of the season. But competition is much better now than then.
Versyp says Purdue could use forward Whitney Bays to help bring the ball into the frontcourt, because of a matchup advantage there. But once into the offense, Morrissette knows she'll need to direct traffic.
"Making sure everybody knows what plays we're running, what defense we're in , controlling the tempo, because against Rutgers, they want to push," she said. "We can't get into a running game with them."
• The concussion is the second for Wilson this season and third of her career.
That's concerning.
"Her numbers are going up," Versyp said. "So we don't know when we'll have her back."
Forward Torrie Thornton is out also, dealing with a foot injury. She made the trip to Rutgers, but won't play, Versyp said, until the Big Ten Tournament at the earliest.
It limits the Boilermakers' options further.
"We just have to play and rotate our guards as much as we can," Versyp said.
• Purdue might look to get freshmen Bree Horrocks and Erica Moore more involved down the stretch of the season.
Horrocks is playing about seven minutes per game, averaging a couple points and a rebound per game. And Moore, who is back from a nine-game suspension, has shown signs of improved play in the two games since.
"Being able to play them at the 5 and Liza (Clemons) and Whitney more at the 4," Versyp said. "One, to get them reps, but also their physical presence and just having that experience in these next games."
Guard Justine Hall might not yet be ready, however. Versyp says the rookie's development has been up and down.
"Where others have been more consistent," Versyp said. "You have to be extremely aggressive and show that confidence, that type of thing. And a lot is how you do in practice, but this is an opportunity to do some things, so we'll throw her in the mix and see what happens. We just have to have that consistent effort every single day."
The sophomore will be Purdue's primary ball-handler now - and perhaps for the near future - with April Wilson sidelined due to a concussion. The junior didn't make the trip to New Jersey for the Boilermakers' (10-14 overall, 3-10 in the Big Ten) noon game against Rutgers.
Morrissette says that looking back on the Northwestern game, an overtime loss in which she played the last 20 or so minutes at the point following Wilson's injury, she sees she needs to be more vocal.
"(And) bring more energy than I have in the last few games," she said. "Make sure me and coach are on the same page, in terms of running what she wants to run and wants to do, like try to get the ball inside or set somebody up for a shot."
It'll be difficult against the Scarlet Knights (18-6, 9-4), one of the Big Ten's best defenses. Rutgers could full-court press the Boilermakers, a strategy they didn't do much of in a 58-49 victory in Mackey Arena. Coach Sharon Versyp says Purdue needs "poise and communication" from Morrissette.
"Poise and communication," Versyp said. "I think the Northwestern game will have prepared her, because the whole half she had to play without April helping her and designating and communicating and that type of pressure that Rutgers, or anybody, is now going to bring.
"The biggest thing is that everybody has to do better communicating, everybody has to step up, bring a little bit more, whether it's ball-handling, rebounding, whether it is. But I'm just going to keep it really simple, like five or six plays, then out of a timeout if we see something, then we can run something.
"But when you're trying to handle pressure and do all those sort of things, it's quite a bit for anybody put in those circumstances."
Purdue has a bit of experience without Wilson, having played the exhibition and opener without her after she was suspended the first two games of the season. But competition is much better now than then.
Versyp says Purdue could use forward Whitney Bays to help bring the ball into the frontcourt, because of a matchup advantage there. But once into the offense, Morrissette knows she'll need to direct traffic.
"Making sure everybody knows what plays we're running, what defense we're in , controlling the tempo, because against Rutgers, they want to push," she said. "We can't get into a running game with them."
• The concussion is the second for Wilson this season and third of her career.
That's concerning.
"Her numbers are going up," Versyp said. "So we don't know when we'll have her back."
Forward Torrie Thornton is out also, dealing with a foot injury. She made the trip to Rutgers, but won't play, Versyp said, until the Big Ten Tournament at the earliest.
It limits the Boilermakers' options further.
"We just have to play and rotate our guards as much as we can," Versyp said.
• Purdue might look to get freshmen Bree Horrocks and Erica Moore more involved down the stretch of the season.
Horrocks is playing about seven minutes per game, averaging a couple points and a rebound per game. And Moore, who is back from a nine-game suspension, has shown signs of improved play in the two games since.
"Being able to play them at the 5 and Liza (Clemons) and Whitney more at the 4," Versyp said. "One, to get them reps, but also their physical presence and just having that experience in these next games."
Guard Justine Hall might not yet be ready, however. Versyp says the rookie's development has been up and down.
"Where others have been more consistent," Versyp said. "You have to be extremely aggressive and show that confidence, that type of thing. And a lot is how you do in practice, but this is an opportunity to do some things, so we'll throw her in the mix and see what happens. We just have to have that consistent effort every single day."
