Gophers-Purdue women's basketball gameday preview

U badly in need of turnaround

Preview: The Gophers (11-6, 1-5 Big Ten) are coming a 76-75 loss to No. 22 Iowa at home on Thursday, when they blew a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and missed one of two free throws with less than second left. Purdue (12-6, 3-3) beat Illinois 81-67 at home the same night to end a three-game losing streak. The Boilermakers, who had five players score in double figures in that game, improved to 8-1 at home. The teams split two games last season — Purdue won 64-53 in Minneapolis and the Gophers won 65-45 in West Lafayette, Ind.

Players to watch: Gophers freshman G Sara Scalia had 18 points and 10 rebounds — her first career double-double — vs. Iowa. She is averaging 11.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Junior G Gadiva Hubbard had 18 points and matched her career-high of five steals vs. the Hawkeyes. G Karissa McLaughlin, who leads Purdue in scoring (12.7 points per game), scored 23 points vs. the Illini. F Ae'Rianna Harris, a 6-1 senior, is averaging 11.8 points and a team-leading 8.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks (eighth-best in women's Division I) per game. G Dominique Oden is averaging 11.3 points per game.

By the numbers: Four of the Gophers' five conference losses have been by three points or less. Their five-game losing streak is their longest since they lost seven in a row in 2010-11.

Joel rippel