Ranking Purdue women’s basketball nonconference opponents for 2024-2025

WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue women’s basketball released its full non-conference schedule on Tuesday.

Let’s rank all 12 nonconference games on the schedule, including debut matchups against UT Arlington, Middle Tennessee, and Bellarmine, plus an exhibition game with a unique history.

1. South Carolina

Location: Fort Myers, Fla

Date: Nov. 30

All-time record against South Carolina: 2-3

Last matchup: Purdue lost 85-49 on the road Dec. 15, 2019.

Breakdown: The Boilermakers get the defending national champions in their sixth game of the season for a program that graduated Kamilla Cardoso but brings back plenty of talent in senior guard Te-Hina Paopao and sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley. Paopao averaged 11.0 PPG and scored a season high 23 points against UConn last February while Fulwiley scored 11.7 PPG, shot 43.4% from the floor and scored 24 points in the SEC title game against LSU.

2. Notre Dame

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Nov. 10

All-time record against North Carolina: 14-14

Last matchup: Purdue lost 76-39 on the road 76-39 on Dec. 17, 2023.

Purdue connections: Notre Dame women’s coach Niele Ivey is the mother of former Purdue star and current Detroit Pistons shooting guard of Jaden Ivey.

Breakdown: A rivalry may have been renewed last season between Purdue and Notre Dame after not competing since 2019, but it was the same South Bend dominance that’s existed since 2006. Notre Dame won its ninth game over Purdue in the last 18 years last year. A game so one sided, Purdue was held to single digit point totals in the second and third quarters. The personnel for Purdue however has both changed and gotten more experienced. Freshman center Lana McCarthy from Bedford, New Hampshire gives the Boilermakers an increased presence in the post while 2024 WAC Defensive Player of the Year Destini Lombard, a transfer from Stephen F. Austin will likely be tasked with guarding All-American, ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Tournament MVP Hannah Hidalgo. Adding to the South Bend connections, Purdue has three players from Notre Dame’s backyard in Big Ten All-Freshman team Rashunda Jones and sisters Mila and Amiyah Reynolds.

More: Purdue women’s basketball to face UT Arlington led by Boilermaker legend Shereka Wright

3. UT Arlington

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Nov. 24

All-time record against UT Arlington: 0-0

Last matchup: None

Purdue connections: Purdue coach Katie Gearlds gets her first shot at taking on her former teammate Shereka Wright. Wright is considered one of the greatest players in Purdue women’s basketball history. Wright is second all-time in career points (2,251), is second in Big Ten Conference history for free throws made and attempted, ranked seventh in program history in rebounds (793), still holds the school’s offensive rebounding record (350).

Breakdown: UT Arlington provides a sneaky test for the Boilermakers led by returning scorers forward Avery Brittingham (13.1 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 44.9 shooting) and guard Taliyah Clark (12.3 PPG, 40.3 shooting).

4. Middle Tennessee

Location: Fort Myers, FL

Date: Nov. 28

All-time record against: 0-0

Last matchup: None

Purdue connection: The Boilermakers face off against former guard Emily Monson who played in limited capacity during her freshman year last season. Monson scored a career high three points in 14 minutes against Southern Indiana.

Breakdown: Middle Tennessee can lay claim as being the top women’s program in Tennessee after it finished 30-5, dethroned the Tennessee Volunteers and reached the second in the NCAA Tournament in 2023-2024. Middle Tennessee is led by guard Ta’Mia Scott (12.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 44.3% shooting), 6-foot-6 center Anastasiia Boldyreva (14.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 61% shooting, 45.6% 3-point range) and guard Jalynn Gregory (12.4 PPG, 90.9% FT).

5. Maine

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Dec. 4

All-time record against Maine: 1-1

Last matchup: Loss on the road 67-47 on Nov. 11, 2016.

Breakdown: Another NCAA Tournament tested team comes to Mackey Arena with the Black Bears winning the American East Conference in 2024 before being outmatched in the first round by Ohio State. Maine returns senior forward Adrianna Smith who averaged 16.4 PPG, and led the Black Bears in rebounding (10.4 per game) and assists (4.6 per game).

More: Caitlyn Harper’s leadership role post-ACL injury ignites Purdue women’s basketball in WNIT

6. Purdue Fort Wayne

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Nov. 6

All-time record against Purdue Fort Wayne: 5-0

Last matchup: Win at home 78-44 on Nov. 18, 2018.

Breakdown: Purdue has dominated the series against Purdue Fort Wayne but its opponent from Fort Wayne aren’t to be taken lightly. The Mastodons finished 23-13 and advanced through two rounds of the WNIT in 2023-2024. Purdue Fort Wayne returns leading scorer Amelia Bromenschenkel (13.9 PPG) along with picking up former Michigan State guard Lauren Ross from the transfer portal. Ross before playing minimal with the Spartans, averaged 21.8 PPG and shot 46.5% from the floor while at Western Michigan.

7. Kentucky

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Dec. 14

All-time record against Kentucky: 2-0

Last matchup: Win on the road 87-67 on Dec. 1, 2000.

Breakdown: An SEC vs. Big Ten Conference matchup is a sure way to satiate the sports appetite during the holiday season and these two storied programs haven’t competed in 24 years. Kentucky sophomore guard Saniah Tyler (10.4 PPG), as one of just two returning players from last season’s roster.

8. Indiana State

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Dec. 21

All-time record against Indiana State: 11-11

Last matchup: Win at home 79-63 on Dec. 20, 2023.

Breakdown: A true rivalry once existed between the Boilermakers and Sycamores that started in the 1970s. Indiana State, in fact, won 10 of the first 11 matchups the two teams played between 1975 and 1983. Since then however, things have changed with Purdue winning the last eight matchups including double digit victories in 2022 and 2023.

9. Miami (OH)

Location: Oxford, OH

Date: Dec. 21

All-time record against Miami (OH): 7-2

Last matchup: Win at home 82-76 on Dec. 19, 2021.

Breakdown: Sophomore Amber Tretter is the returning leading scorer for the RedHawks after finishing 9-20 in 2023-2024.

10. Bellarmine

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Nov. 18

All-time record against Bellarmine: 0-0

Last matchup: None

Breakdown: Purdue faces Bellarmine, a program who has competed in NCAA Division I sports for four seasons in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Bellarmine returns leading scorers Haylie Harrison (15.5 PPG, 37.9% shooting) and Hope Sivory (11.0 PPG, 33.1% from the floor).

11. IU Indy (formerly IUPUI)

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Nov. 14

All-time record against IU Indy: 5-1

Last matchup: Win on the road 48-46 on March 15, 2018.

Breakdown: Purdue battles IU Indy, a familiar foe known before as Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis before adopting its new name beginning in 2024-2025. While the program finished 7-23 last season, the Jaguars have given the Boilermakers fits in the past. IU Indy defeated Purdue on Dec. 21, 2016 led by Mikale Rogers from Lawrence North who scored 24 points, grabbed 13 rebounds.

12. Indiana Tech (exhibition)

Location: Mackey Arena

Date: Nov. 18

All-time record against Indiana Tech: 1-0

Last matchup: Win at home 77-48 on Jan. 16, 1981.

Breakdown: Purdue last played the Warriors based in Fort Wayne as a member of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (IAIAW) in 1981. Purdue women’s basketball would become fully integrated into the NCAA in 1982 while Indiana Tech has remained in the NAIA.

Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue women’s basketball challenges 12 teams in nonconference for 2024-2025