IU Coach Teri Moren spent four years playing as a Boilermaker in Mackey Arena.
A 1992 graduate, she helped lead Purdue to three NCAA tournament appearances, including two Sweet Sixteens. Moren was part of Purdue’s first Big Ten Champion team and accomplished a 59-13 record through four years.
Though she grew up an IU fan, at the time Purdue was the place to play basketball in the state of Indiana. Hall of Fame Coach Lin Dunn had arrived two years earlier and was rebuilding a struggling program.
For Moren, taking the IU coaching job in August was a chance to return to her roots.
And Sunday, she’ll return Mackey Arena, standing in front of the opposing bench this time, when the Hoosiers travel to West Lafayette to play in-state rival Purdue at 2 p.m.
IU is coming off a New Year’s Eve win over No. 24 Michigan State, the Hoosiers’ biggest win over a ranked team since defeating No. 2 Iowa during the 1994 season. That effort was sparked by a 15-point loss to Rutgers to open the Big Ten season.
Moren said after the game her team left her with few critiques to make, and credited the win to much-improved communication among her players.
“We brought intensity, energy,” freshman guard Tyra Buss said. “I thought we talked really, really well. That really helped out.”
The Hoosiers held the Spartans to 51 points, while outscoring them in the paint (42-20), off the bench (16-2) and winning the battle on the boards decisively, 49-34.
Sunday, the Hoosiers will go on the road for the fourth time this season, with three non-conference road wins over Boston College, Milwaukee and Oakland earlier this year.
The Boilermakers have won nine of the last 10 games in the series against IU. They made NCAA tournament appearances in 24 of the past 26 seasons, including three-straight times most recently, but have struggled with consistency this season. They have four non-conference losses to Green Bay, George Washington, Florida State and Dayton.
After beating Illinois in its Big Ten opener last week, Purdue's five-game win streak stalled with a loss to Minnesota at home on Thursday.
Senior forward Whitney Bays leads the Boilers, averaging a double-double per game with 13.7 points and 10.5 rebounds. Sophomore Ashley Morrissette is Bays’ only other teammate averaging double figures in scoring, with 10.4 points per game.
Morrissette and junior April Wilson, who assists on 4.4 baskets a game, complete the Purdue backcourt. But without consistent perimeter shooters the Boilers will frequently look to score in the paint, shooting just 29 percent from 3-point range. Their 3.8 3’s per game compare to IU’s 7.7.
Sophomore guard Larryn Brooks and Buss lead IU in scoring with 12.9 and 13.5 points per game, respectively.
Buss is coming off her first-career double-double against Michigan State where she had 10 points and 15 rebounds. Her 3.2 steals per game lead all freshmen nationally.
Sunday’s game at Purdue will be broadcast on BTN Plus and can be listened to on the IU Radio Network.
