Purdue women's basketball prepares for Big Ten Conference Tournament in Minnesota

The opportunity seems ripe for Purdue women's basketball looking at the Big Ten Tournament as a fresh start.

No. 12 seeded Purdue (12-17) takes on No. 13 seeded Northwestern (9-20) in the first round at Target Center in Minneapolis on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.

Purdue blitzed Northwestern for 20 turnovers defensively and outrebounded the Wildcats 46-29 in a 74-48 rout on the road on Feb. 14.

The Boilermakers shot the ball and defended well at times throughout the season. But not long or consistent enough to overcome its inexperience for a program carrying five freshmen and a sophomore.

"Everybody is 0-0 and its about coming out with what you learned from the regular season," starting senior point guard Jeanae Terry said. "We have an exciting chance and opportunity to come out, play together and show what we can do."

Adding to the Boilermakers problems was the loss of key starting sixth year senior forward Caitlyn Harper on Feb. 28.

Harper sustained a season ending knee injury after she scored 29 points and grabbed six rebounds on Senior Night against Penn State. Harper was injured with 4:26 in the fourth quarter and the Boilermakers fell at home 93-88.

"I was so sad after the game and crying," freshman Rashunda Jones said. "This was her sixth year and I felt really bad. I wanted to win the Penn State game for her and wanted to win the Michigan game for her."

Harper's position was filled by her sister sophomore Alaina Harper who made her first career start with Purdue. The younger Harper scored two points and grabbed four rebounds.

Jones reemerged as one of Purdue's primary scoring options after she scored 16 points in the final game against Michigan after being held to five points or less in her previous eight games. Jones showed promise to start the year when she notched 20 points in just her third career game against Texas A&M.

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Jones kept herself in the rotation consistently throughout the year until seeing just 11 minutes on the court against Penn State and Wisconsin.

"She's got to be Rashunda and Rashunda is a scorer," Purdue coach Katie Gearlds said. "I think there was a time when she was trying to be a playmaker and we've got (Jeanae Terry) to do that. When she's on the court she's got to be a scorer and I thought she came out super aggressive against Michigan. She just looked confident and her speed is something we can take advantage of."

Adding to the freshmen mix is Mary Ashley Stevenson. Stevenson has continued to start and play effectively after she broke her nose against Ohio State.

Stevenson has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice and selected as the US Basketball Writers Association Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week on Feb. 13.

The odds might seem long with Purdue carrying the No. 12 seed and a roster altered without Harper in the lineup. However, hope remains for Purdue which has shown it can play with nationally ranked teams within its conference. The Boilermakers lost tight games against Ohio State, 71-68, at Mackey Arena and Indiana, 74-68. Ten of Purdue's losses have been decided by nine points or less.

Now Purdue looks to enter the NCAA Tournament in the hardest way imaginable. Purdue will need to win five straight games in five straight days — a feat no women's team in history has accomplished.

Leading scorer Abbey Ellis believes her team is up for the challenge.

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"We just have to go day by day," Ellis said. "Just win, survive and advance. (Gearlds) always says survive and advance in tournament time and we won't be looking at the team ahead of us. Hopefully soak it in for a few hours then watch film on the next team."