Wolverines to Host Purdue to Start Big Ten Conference Play
12/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2015
» U-M has won three of the last four games against Purdue.
» The Wolverines are 7-1 at home this season and shooting 53.4 percent from the floor at Crisler Center.
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• Complete Game Notes 
The University of Michigan women's basketball team (8-3) returns home to Crisler Center to open up Big Ten Conference play against Purdue (9-2) on Thursday afternoon (Dec. 31) at 1 p.m. Children 18 years old and under will be admitted free, and general admission tickets are $1.
• Michigan is opening Big Ten action at home for the first time since the 2012-13 season. U-M has won five of its last six Big Ten openers.
• U-M will play 18 games during conference play this season, taking on Purdue, Maryland, Penn State, Iowa and Minnesota in home-and-home action. U-M will face the remaining eight teams just once.
• Purdue comes to Crisler Center on a four-game winning streak, having last beaten Maine, 56-33, on Dec. 21. The Boilermakers feature three double-digit scorers in April Wilson (14.6 ppg), Ashley Morrissette (11.9 ppg) and Bridget Perry (11.0 ppg). PU leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (51.6) while scoring 66.9 points of its own on 43.6 percent shooting.
• Thursday's contest between Purdue and Michigan features two contrasting styles of play. U-M is third in the Big Ten in scoring offense (82.6) and second in field goal percentage (51.4), while Purdue leads the conference in scoring defense (51.6).
• Michigan has been more successful against Purdue over the last eight seasons, winning six of the last 10 contests. Prior to a 72-36 Michigan win on Feb. 21, 2008, Purdue had won 18 straight games in the series. Fourth-year head coach Kim Barnes Arico is 3-1 against Purdue at Michigan. Purdue leads the all-time series against U-M, 50-18.
• Since head coach Kim Barnes Arico took over prior to the 2012-13 season, Michigan is 27-12 following a loss.
• Michigan ranks fifth nationally in field goal percentage at 51.0 percent as one of six schools to top the mark. U-M is also eighth nationally and the Big Ten leader in three-point field goal percentage at 40.3. The Wolverines have shot at least 50 percent from the floor in seven contests this season, including shooting 60 percent against USC Upstate (Nov. 19).
• Freshman Hallie Thome recorded her first double-double in Michigan's last contest, going for 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. She has grabbed at least seven rebounds in three of Michigan's last four games. She joins Madison Ristovski, Danielle Williams and Jillian Dunston as players to have a game with at least 10 rebounds in a career.
• Michigan is 7-1 at home this season, with its lone loss coming to No. 20-ranked UCLA. While at home, U-M is averaging 87.6 points per game while shooting 53.4 percent from the floor. On the defensive end, the Maize and Blue is holding its opponents to 56.8 points per game on 37.6 percent shooting. At home, U-M has five players -- Katelynn Flaherty, Hallie Thome, Nicole Munger, Siera Thompson and Boogie Brozoski -- scoring at least nine points per contest.
• Michigan returns to home action next Thursday (Jan. 7), welcoming Iowa to Crisler Center for a 7 p.m. tip. U-M plays at home for the next three Thursday evenings -- Jan. 7, Jan. 14 against Maryland and Jan. 21 vs. Ohio State. All children 18 and under will be admitted free to all weekday games this season.
Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre
