Purdue women's basketball primer: Four questions as official practice opens
WEST LAFAYETTE – The first season under Katie Gearlds was a starting point for the Purdue women’s basketball program.
On some levels, Year 1 was a success since Gearlds was able to establish her own foundation, despite the whirlwind transition period that saw the one-time Boilermaker All-American take over days before the start of official practices after Sharon Versyp abruptly retired.
But last season also showed how much work is ahead to bring the program back to a place where contending for Big Ten championships and NCAA tournament berths are the baseline expectations.
Purdue tied for ninth in the conference standings last season, won 17 games after winning only seven the year before, was ousted in the first round of the league tournament and advanced to the second round of the WNIT.
With several players returning and the addition of two transfers, what type of jump can the Boilermakers make in Year 2, not only in the Big Ten but overall?
“I think that's a fair question,” said Gearlds, whose team begins official practices Friday. “For our team, that’s one we've asked them to bring me the answer on Friday. I think we all have this vision of where I think we fit but just because we think that we're there doesn't mean it's going to be given to us.
“I think our locker room probably sees it better than most people outside of our locker room.”
Gearlds embraces high expectations and doesn’t downplay where she believes this program is at and the level it needs to reach to become relevant again. Purdue was once the gold standard in the Big Ten, a program others in the conference were chasing to reach its level.
And to some degree, the Boilermakers were a national player for nearly a three-decade run, winning the national title in 1999 and advancing to three Final Fours in eight years. They even made two Elite Eight appearances in 2007 and 2009, the last deep run in the NCAA tournament.
But the situation Gearlds inherited will take time, even though the Beach Grove native isn’t known for patience.
“I don't want to wait,” Gearlds said. “Is winning a Big Ten championship possible? Maybe not. But why are we going to play the game? Why are we going to play in the Big Ten? Why are we going to travel to Iowa on December 29? Why is Indiana coming here on February 5 if we're not trying to win?
“We're not where those programs are, the ones that are saying, ‘Hey, the expectation is to win the Big Ten championship.’ Maybe the expectation for us is just to compete and be hard to beat but it's also to win.”
Here are four questions facing Gearlds and the Boilermakers heading into the first formal practice:
What do the transfers bring?
Gearlds went shopping in the portal and added post Caitlyn Harper, the WAC’s Player of the Year at Cal Baptist, and Lasha Petree, who played last season at Rutgers.
Purdue had one post player last season - Rickie Woltman - but the 6-foot-2 Harper brings more size and depth but can also stretch the defense with a solid perimeter game. Gearlds envisions Petree as her prototypical wing player.
“Long, athletic, can score the ball from the outside and can get to the rim,” Gearlds said. “You look at our roster and you say ‘Hey, who can go get us a bucket?’ I think Lasha fills that need – ‘Hey, go get us a bucket.’ ”
Who's the point guard?
Jeanae Terry, who posted two triple-doubles last season, remains the primary point guard. But other options are on the roster allowing the Boilermakers to present different lineups, including Abbey Ellis and Madison Layden.
“The ball is in Jeanae’s hands, and I really love Abbey off the ball,” Gearlds said. “She does so well in the open floor and if we can kick it up to her and run her off screens, she can score.
“I think you'll see Madison at the point in a backup role more so than last year, just trying to keep Abbey off the ball.”
Can Jayla Smith take the next step?
Gearlds challenged the 2021 Indiana Miss Basketball from Lawrence North to improve her game during the offseason. Smith can play a big role at both ends of the floor, giving the Boilermakers an athletic presence.
Smith’s conditioning is better than last season and that's allowed her to excel in workouts over the summer.
“She's taking strides that we weren't sure if she was going to take and she's taken them,” Gearlds said. “I just think her understanding that it's really not that hard. I think that her conditioning last year, she had her hands on her knees and didn't know how to push through the wall.
“Now when it gets hard, she's the one encouraging people. She knows it's her time and we've talked a lot about it. ‘You're Indiana Miss Basketball. This is what we do. You’re from Indiana, you come to Purdue, and this is what we do.' She's embraced the opportunity.”
Does the roster feature more versatility?
No longer are players “pigeonholed” into one position, Gearlds said. Most can play multiple spots, giving the Boilermakers and their coach plenty of flexibility in mixing and matching personnel.
“Maybe come February, our legs are fresher,” Gearlds said. “We talked with (Layden) about not having to guard the other team's best player for 40 minutes. We've got Jayla and Lasha now as options to really use their length, so she's not dog-tired at the end of games or the end of the season. We have some options and some versatility. My offensive mind is going crazy, honestly.”
Roster updates
Freshman guard Ainhoa Holzer will redshirt this season after undergoing knee surgery. ... Skye Williams, who was a freshman last season, has taken a medical redshirt and remains in school. She is no longer with the program.
Mike Carmin covers Purdue sports for the Journal & Courier and USA Today Sports Network. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram @carmin_jc
2022-23 PURDUE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROSTER
Seniors: Cassidy Hardin, Jeanae Terry, Abbey Ellis, Caitlyn Harper, Rickie Woltman, Lasha Petree
Junior: Madison Layden
Sophomores: Jayla Smith, Ava Learn
Freshmen: Ainhoa Holzer, Addison Potts, Lilly Stoddard
Key dates: Fan Day (Oct. 22); Exhibition vs. Purdue Northwest (Nov. 6); Season opener vs. Marshall (Nov. 10); Big Ten/ACC Challenge vs. Syracuse (Dec. 30); Big Ten opener at Michigan State (Dec. 5); vs. Indiana (Feb. 5); at Indiana (Feb. 19); Big Ten tournament at Minneapolis (March 1-5)
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue women's basketball primer: Four questions as official practice opens
