The season of learning continued for Purdue women’s basketball at Mackey Arena.
Playing in the WNIT has become as much about growth as it is about winning. But to grow and play more games for this high-potential underclassmen group, winning is absolute.
Big Ten Conference Freshmen of the Year Mary Ashley Stevenson took a slow start in the first quarter and attacked the basket aggressively to lead Purdue over Duquesne 71-50 in the WNIT Super 16 on Thursday night.
Purdue (14-18) will get its chance to sharpen the chemistry of Stevenson, freshmen Rashunda Jones, Sophie Swanson, Emily Monson, McKenna Layden, and sophomores Mila Reynolds and Alaina Harper in the WNIT Great 8 against either Vermont or Colgate.
The WNIT Great 8 game location and date have yet to be announced. Vermont and Colgate play on Friday night. “There’s no substitution for game reps,” Purdue coach Katie Gearlds said. “This is a great experience for our kids and hopefully we can use this run to continue to win and play as long as possible.”
Stevenson finished with 13 points, and nine rebounds and was picked up in the third quarter by senior Abbey Ellis with Swanson.
Ellis scored 15 points and Swanson drilled 4 of 8 from 3-point range for 14 points.
“All of us strive to win and it’s also me and Jeanae’s role to help establish these young ones for these next three to four years,” Ellis said. “It’s been so much fun with these girls.”
It was Stevenson who set the tone in the second quarter after Purdue started 5-19 in the first quarter and ended the period tied with Duquesne 11-11. She eroded the Duquesne defense scoring around the basket with her left hand and a midrange game that’s become part of the accustomed repertoire from the New York City native.
Equally important to the growth of Stevenson and Swanson was the rebounding and defensive effort from Harper taking the center role for her injured sister Caitlyn Harper.
Harper’s comfort level and calling switches for her defense on Duquesne’s pick and rolls played a key role in stiffening Duquesne’s ball rotation and limiting the Dukes’ rebounding.
Junior Jayla Smith has used the WNIT tourney to reassert herself as one of Purdue’s reliable scorers. Smith scored 15 points, all in the second half, to mark the second straight game in double figures after adding 13 points against Florida back on Nov. 20.
“You have to stay aggressive and disciplined,” Smith said. “You have to stay locked in.”
The WNIT has been a jumping point for many of today’s top programs including last season’s champions Kansas. Kansas made it to the NCAA Tournament second round. Michigan won the WNIT in 2018 and Indiana won in 2019.
“Look at what their programs did and vaulted their programs to where they are,” Gearlds said. “Hopefully we can replicate that success.”
Talent is ripening in West Lafayette and the Boilermakers turned a corner with a dominant postseason win against an opponent in Duquesne that finished the season 21-12.
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