Five things to know: Purdue

Monday, December 31

Kohl Center

2 p.m.

Wisconsin Badgers

Purdue

Tickets

Marsha Howard takes to the court during starting lineups

Photo by: Greg Anderson

December 31, 2018 | Women's Basketball

Badgers set for final game of 2018 at home

Wisconsin

9-4, 0-1

Purdue

10-4, 1-0

Game Coverage

Monday, Dec. 31 | 2 p.m. | Kohl Center | Madison, Wis.

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin women's basketball team (9-4, 0-1 B1G) brings Big Ten Conference play back home for its final game of 2018, facing Purdue (10-4, 1-0) on Monday. Tip time is 2 p.m. from the Kohl Center.

1. LAST TIME OUT: The Badgers dropped its Big Ten opener, falling at No. 12 Minnesota, 74-56, in Border Battle game, Friday night at Williams Arena. The Badgers used a 7-0 run early in the second quarter to cut the Gopher lead to six (20-14) with 7:03 on the clock. Wisconsin kept the score within 10 points at the half (32-22) but four turnovers in the third quarter helped Minnesota take a 55-34 lead after three periods. UW cut the lead to 13 (61-48) off a Kelly Karlis 3-pointer but that was a close as the Badgers would get.

2. GILREATH REELS IT IN: Junior Suzanne Gilreath scored her 500th career point Friday night in her home state, scoring a team-high nine points all from beyond on the arc. Gilreath has found her shooting from deep over the last four games, hitting at least three 3-pointers in three contests. Over the three-game stretch, the 5-foot-7 guard is averaging 12.3 points per game while shooting 11-21 (52.4 percent) from behind the arc.

3. NATIONAL LEADER: Wisconsin leads the nation in total rebounds, tallying 625 on the year. The Badgers also rank sixth nationally and rank second in the Big Ten with 48.1 boards per game. UW is 19th nationally with a 10.5 rebounding margin.

4. THAT'S WHAT I CALL BALL CONTROL: Sophomore Niya Beverley leads the Big Ten and ranks 22nd nationally with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.8 while junior Kendra Van Leeuwen ties for second in the conference and ranks 42nd nationally with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.3. Van Leeuwen leads the Big Ten and ranks 17th nationally with 5.9 assists per game. The 5-foot-10 guard has five-or-more assists in eight games this season.

5. SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS: Purdue head coach Sharon Versyp broke another career mark Friday, earning her 121st Big Ten victory on the Boilermaker sidelines in a 60-42 win over Ohio State at Mackey Arena. Purdue improved to 10-4 overall and opened conference play with a win for the 21st time in program history and the ninth time in Versyp's tenure. The dynamic trio of juniors Dominique Oden and Ae'Rianna Harris, and sophomore Karissa McLaughlin picked up where they left off before the holiday break, combining for 49 of the Boilermakers' 60 points. Oden dropped 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 12 points in the second half and a pair of triples. McLaughlin filled up the stat sheet with 17 points, four rebounds and five assists, hitting four-of-six from behind the 3-point line, and five-of-11 overall from the field.