Purdue Women's Basketball - three keys to note before the season starts

WEST LAFAYETTE - Purdue women's basketball looks to build from where it left off after reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons in 2022-2023.

There's plenty of depth and experience returning for the Boilermakers led by returning seniors Abbey Ellis (11.2 points per game, 47.5% shooting), Caitlyn Harper (10.4 points per game, 54.7% shooting) and Jeanae Terry who led the Boilermakers in rebounding and assists during the 2023-2024 campaign.

Ellis believes her team's offense is playing with greater cohesion during the first official practices this week before playing at UCLA on Nov. 6.

Purdue volleyball: Associate head coach John Shondell resigns

"It's the way we were connecting especially with the girls that have been here," Ellis said. "At the start of summer, you could tell that we have played with each other but now we've transitioned to those long hours. Everyone fits in seamlessly. We've learned each other's style of play and adapted to each other's strengths."

Purdue football: Boilers elevate Yanni Karlaftis on depth chart after career game

Here are three keys to note about Purdue Women's Basketball before its season tips off in November.

1. Indiana natives balance talented 2023-2024 Purdue roster

Purdue balances its senior depth with the addition of four Indiana native underclassmen who played high school basketball in South Bend and Kokomo.

Mila Reynolds, a sophomore transfer from Maryland joins her freshman sister Amiyah Reynolds and former South Bend Washington High School teammate Rashunda Jones, another freshman.

Freshman McKenna Layden out of Northwestern High in Kokomo averaged 17.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.9 steals per game as a senior in high school last season.

The Reynolds sisters along with Jones helped South Bend Washington win the IHSAA Class 3A State Championship in 2022.

2. Reynolds looks to take reins at point guard after knee injury

Amiyah Reynolds is recovering from a torn ACL she sustained during her senior high school season but is projected make an impact as a point guard for Purdue once her knee has fully recovered.

Reynolds averaged 15.2 points per game, 6.3 assists per game, 8.1 rebounds per game and 3.3 steals per game last season before her injury.

"It's going to be easy to toss the keys to (Reynolds) in the next few years," Purdue coach Katie Gearlds said.

Reynolds recalled the recruitment process she had with Gearlds.

"(Gearlds) definitely drew me here from the start," Reynolds said. "She definitely brings a lot of energy and is what I want in a coach."

3. Purdue preps for tough Big 10 and non-conference matchups

Gearlds will rely heavily on the experience of Ellis, Harper and Terry along with returning senior guard Madison Layden (6.4 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game) and junior Jayla Smith (7.8 points per game).

"The five returners we have coming back are really comfortable in what we're trying to do," Gearlds said. "They understand what our language is as a team. Our young kids are starting to pick it up. We'll pull them in a couple of times outside of that returning group and try to get some extra work."

Purdue's non-conference schedule in addition to UCLA includes matchups against Texas A&M on Nov. 16 and then games against Florida on Nov. 20 and Georgia on Nov. 22 in the Bahamas.

"We don't just tip our toe into the pool on the short side. We jump right into the deep end on Nov. 6." Gearlds said.

The Boilermakers travel to 2023 Sweet Sixteen contender Notre Dame on Dec. 17 for a South Bend homecoming for the Reynolds sisters and Jones, before beginning the gauntlet of Big 10 Conference play. Purdue hosts Iowa, led by reigning AP Player of the Year Caitlin Clark, at Mackey Arena on Jan. 10.

"I come from a high school that always wanted to play the tough guys and the top schools," Amiyah Reynolds said. "I love playing the top schools. I love playing tough competition. It will help us get better and I'm looking forward to it."

Ethan Hanson started working for the Journal & Courier in West Lafayette, Indiana after four years at the Record Searchlight in Redding, CA. He previously freelanced with the Los Angeles Daily News for four years while attending Cal State University Northridge in Los Angeles. He worked extensively in Shasta County bringing in 18 different high schools and two colleges into the sports coverage during his tenure in Redding. Hanson has written about the Daytona 500, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, the Redding Rodeo along with numerous features, enterprise and breaking news stories. He worked the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in South Bend, Indiana, and wrote about the St. Louis Rams' move to Los Angeles with the Ventura County Star. He began his career as a play-by-play broadcaster for LA Pierce College from 2011-2017 and was the play-by-play broadcaster for the Redding Colt 45s from 2022-2023. Follow him on Twitter at @EthanAHansonand ethan_a_hanson on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue Women's Basketball 3 keys before the 2023-2024 season tips off