As Purdue begins official practices on Sunday, it does so with a lot of those who helped it to the NCAA’s second round in March.
But the Boilermakers are changed, too. They’re young, probably more so than any Purdue team in recent memory, with 10 underclassmen and only two scholarship upperclassmen.
“There’s pieces there, but still a lot of intrigue and a lot of unknowns,” Coach Sharon Versyp said.
The Boilermakers return three starters from their 23-win 2016-17 team, which surged toward the end of last season, not only getting off the NCAA bubble but winning a tournament game and bringing No. 1-seed Notre Dame to the brink. Senior Andreona Keys is back, as are sophomores Dominique Oden and Ae’Rianna Harris, whose development last year jumpstarted Purdue run.
But there are questions: Purdue replaces Ashley Morrissette at point guard, probably looking for a mix between freshman Karissa McLaughlin and sophomores Tiara Murphy and Miracle Gray. Versyp listed classmate Lamina Cooper, who plays primarily on the wing, as an option, as well.
“I have to be hard on our point guards, but patient,” Versyp said. “Our underclassmen are learning quickly what they need to do. Their heads are spinning but we have levels of leadership that really help. They stay in the gym and don’t leave until they get it right.
“… You’re seeing a lot of teaching going on for our freshmen. But it’s that point guard spot that I’ve got to be patient, and it’s busting them and letting them understand the mentality. They have to be tough, but I’ve got to build them up.”
Power forward, too, is up in the air, following Dominique McBryde’s offseason transfer and Bridget Perry’s graduation. There, Purdue is likely to rely on freshmen — Tamara Farquhar and Dani Lawson — or Harris in a bigger lineup.
Farquhar, a versatile 6-foot wing, has impressed with her athleticism during pre-practice workouts.
“She can jump like me,” said Harris, who set Purdue’s freshman blocks record last season. “I honestly think we’re going to block some records this year.”
Purdue is hoping to pick up where it left off last season, although that could be a challenge with the youthful roster.
“We went through a lot finding ourselves because we were so young,” Versyp said. “And that’s what probably will happen this year. We’re so young, we’ll probably be finding ourselves.
“I think we saw what can be and we have a good bulk of our team back, except five new pieces, which is a lot.
“I think we have the talent, but to mold it over the next month will be exciting to see.”
• Versyp says Murphy is ready to go for practices after missing the Big Ten season following a December ACL injury.
The point guard has been able to workout and now starts practicing.
“This is the next step for her, going through two-and-a-half hour practices and build up her stamina and endurance,” Versyp said.
“She’s a great three-point shooter, pull-up jump shooter. She has a flare to her game. … She understands the whole picture. She started to play really well, then got her. For her, it’s just about getting back the confidence.”
Versyp says Purdue is healthy entering practices.
• Individuality was at the forefront of Purdue’s offseason workouts.
Under new strength and conditioning director Jennifer Jones, who came to Purdue from Texas A&M over the summer, the Boilermakers’ workouts have been geared toward individual strengths and weaknesses. Workouts were modified.
In order to figure out how to best suit each player, the Boilermakers held group workouts and had individual meetings with Jones. And the results, they say, have been positive.
“If you know your legs aren’t as good as they can be, you’ll do a lot more with squatting, stuff like that,” Harris said. “Or if know your upper-body strength isn’t what it could be, you’ll do more benching, things like that.”
And running has played a bit part, as well, says Dominique Oden. It’s been a good balance that has allowed the sophomore to feel at her best at the start of practicing.”
“She’s respecting that we want to be fast in basketball, we want to get from place to place,” Oden said. “We want to be able to keep on our feet. Us benching like football players isn’t helpful. She’s adjusted for that. And for the running, it’s more basketball specific, so that’s getting up and down. It’s really helpful, because even though it’s tiring, I’m really in shape now. She’s getting at us, saying, ‘You need to be more explosive.’”
