Oklahoma’s size will test young Purdue women
LEXINGTON, Ky. – If there was a repeating theme stressed by Sharon Versyp and Purdue’s players Friday on the eve of their NCAA women’s basketball tournament opener, it was controlling the paint.
Translation: Stop Oklahoma leading scorer and rebounder Kaylon Williams and top reserve Vionise Pierre-Louis.
The 24th-ranked Sooners (21-10), the No. 6 seed in the Lexington Regional, will take on the Boilermakers (20-11) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Coliseum on the University of Kentucky campus.
The 6-3 Williams, a redshirt senior, will get the bulk of Purdue’s attention. Williams is averaging 12.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the floor. Her frontcourt mate, 6-2 Maddie Manning, is grabbing five rebounds per game while averaging 8.5 points.
Guard Peyton Little is averaging 10.6 points per game. Pierre-Louis, at 6-4, comes off the bench to average nearly 10 points per game and grab another five rebounds.
In short, they have the Boilermakers’ attention.
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“The biggest thing at the end of the day is rebounding, offensively and defensively,” Versyp said. “We’re very young in the post, but I think our growth has been immense. I think our young ones have really done a great job of understanding our concepts.
“They’re going against a fifth-year senior down low (Williams) that has that experience. Defense is collective, bottom line. It’s not just one person shutting somebody down. It’s team defense, it’s about following the game plan and doing the best that we can. Make sure we execute the little things.”
Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale admitted that post play, particularly with Williams and Pierre-Louis, has been the core of their team this year.
“Kay Kay and Vionise Pierre-Louis are different from one another, but they have both been incredibly effective,” Coale said. “I said before the season started that I thought that Vivi might be the most improved player not only on our team, but in our league. I think that proved to be true.”
Redshirt senior forward Torri Thornton was key for Purdue in its win against Penn State in the Big Ten tournament and will be looked upon to use her speed against Oklahoma’s big lineup.
While Thornton is a veteran of two other Purdue NCAA tournament teams, the Boilermakers’ size is young: 6-5 sophomore Bree Horrocks, 6-2 freshman Dominique McBryde and 6-6 freshman Nora Kiesler, all playing in their first NCAA tournament game.
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Thornton said she understands the challenge that lies ahead for Purdue and interior teammates.
“From a post player’s standpoint, it’s going to be tough because their post players are really good, really skilled and physical,” the 6-foot Thornton said. “For us, our job will be the push them as far away from the basket as we can.”
The young post players all have shown sparks of outstanding play. McBryde has a pair of 20-point games off the bench this season (22 versus Minnesota and 23 versus Rutgers). Horrocks scored 12 points and had five rebounds in the Big Ten tournament against Michigan State.
Kiesler tied a 27-year-old freshman record for blocked shots in a game with seven in a victory over Penn State during the regular season.
“I have to make sure that they stay confident through the game,” Thornton said. “I think that’s a big deal when we get to the NCAA tournament because everybody you play out there is good.
“So, it’ll start with having confidence in yourself and each other because we’re prepared. They’ve prepared for this moment and we’ve prepared for this moment and good things are going to happen.”
Purdue’s leading rebounder, 6-2 junior forward/guard Bridget Perry will be asked to contribute as well. Perry bounced back from a scoring slump with 18 against Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament two weeks ago.
“I know that I’m more confident that I’ve ever been,” said Perry, who averages 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds. “(Oklahoma’s) overall play is very solid. Their posts are their leading scorers, and that’s been our biggest emphasis. Rebounding will be huge.
“We’re ready and excited, but we’re not happy just to get in. We’re looking to do our best and be competitive.”
On the flip side, Coale said she was concerned about Purdue’s guards, especially senior April Wilson (14.6 points per game) and Ashley Morrissette (13.1).
“We began to do research on Purdue and the message was they’re good,” Coale said. “They play in a great league, they have good guards, they’re extremely well-coached and that’s a good opportunity for us because we will have to be the best version of ourselves in order to beat them. That was the message.”