Purdue returns home for matchup with IUPUI on Friday at noon

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The Purdue women's basketball team will return to Mackey Arena for its first home game since December the 2nd when the Boilermakers take on IUPUI at Mackey Arena on Friday.

This is the third meeting between Purdue and IUPUI in women's basketball. The Boilermakers hold a 2-0 edge, with both contests being played in Mackey Arena.

The Boilermakers are coming off a 77-46 win at Oakland, Drey Mingo led the gold and black with 19 points, Dee Dee Williams added a career-high 14 points and Courtney Moses scored 13 for the Boilermakers. Sam Ostarello grabbed 10 rebounds for Purdue, which owned a 35-22 edge on the boards.

Purdue has won three straight road games and is currently ranked 13 ^th by the Associated Press and 12 ^th in the USA Today Division I Coaches' Poll and is off to its best start since the 2002-03 season.

The Boilermakers have played seven of eleven games away from Keady Court and are glad they will play in front of their home fans on Friday at noon.

“It will be fun, Sometimes especially during Christmas break nobody is here any ways so it's not a bad thing that we play on the road. We had the neutral site and then we had three road games in a row and we kept testing them about needing to improve. I think each game we have gotten better,” said head coach Sharon Versyp.

“We go to away games and there is like two people in the stands and it's really hard to bring our own energy every time.. The other schools are against us and cheering against us so it's definitely a blessing to be back home and not traveling on the road or in airports or on busses so it's really good,” said senior Sam Ostarello.

Coach Versyp expects most of her team to be headed home for Christmas at 2:30 on Friday afternoon. The Boilermakers have a break for Christmas before traveling to take on intrastate rival Notre Dame on Dec. 29. The road game against the Irish is the final non-conference game of the regular season. Purdue starts Big Ten action on Jan. 2 at Illinois.