Latest news with #KikiSmith
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Purdue women's basketball adds 2025 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year
WEST LAFAYETTE ― Purdue women's basketball added more depth at guard when former UNC Greensboro freshman Nya Smith announced her commitment to the Boilermakers on Sunday afternoon. Smith made her announcement through her Instagram account. The soon-to-be sophomore helped the Spartans advance to the NCAA Tournament last season after finishing 25-7, beating Chattanooga 64-57 to capture the Southern Conference Tournament title. Advertisement UNC Greensboro entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 16 seed and lost to the JuJu Watkins-led USC Trojans, 71-25. Smith becomes the third Purdue addition from the transfer portal after former Arkansas standout Kiki Smith (no relation) joined Purdue on Saturday afternoon. A native of Roswell, Georgia, Smith averaged 10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and was named the Southern Conference Sixth Woman of the Year and Freshman of the Year to end the 2024-25 season. It's been an active Easter weekend for Purdue with the addition of both Smith guards. Mar 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UNC Greensboro Spartans guard Nya Smith (22) is double teams by USC Trojans guards JuJu Watkins (12) and Kennedy Smith (11) during the second quarter at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images The Smith from Topeka, Kansas and former Razorback shot 40.6% from 3-point range, started in 22 of 27 games during her sophomore year with the Razorbacks. Advertisement Nya and Kiki Smith are joined by Purdue's first transfer portal arrival, Taylor Feldman from Northern Arizona. Feldman averaged 16.4 points, 3.9 assists and three rebounds per game, including 40.9% from the field, 38.3% from 3-point range and 80.4% from the free throw line and was named All Big Sky Conference first team as a junior last season. The Boilermakers will also the return of Madison Layden-Zay, who starred from 2020-21 to 2023-24 before taking a year off last season. Layden-Zay is eligible to play a grad season having with the Boilermakers through COVID. More: Purdue women's basketball guard Madison Layden fueled by family and closure Purdue will also have experience in the paint as well with the returns of incoming sophomore forwards Lana McCarthy and Kendall Puryear. Puryear averaged 7.2 points and 3.7 rebounds last season primarily off the bench with one start, while McCarthy averaged 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in 26 starts. Advertisement Junior guard McKenna Layden is the lone returning guard for Purdue from 2024-25 after making nine starts, averaging 4.6 points and 4.2 rebounds. Along with the transfer portal talent and reemergence of Layden-Zay sees the incoming 2025 class led by 4-star recruits guard Keona Douwstra of Netherlands and 6-foot-7 center Avery Gordon. Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@ on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson . This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue women's basketball receives former UNC Greensboro guard Nya Smith
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Purdue women's basketball receives commit from former St. John's guard
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue women's basketball continued the build of its roster with the commitment of former St. John's guard Tara Daye. Daye averaged 6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and shot 50% from the field during her junior year in Queens and leaves the program after two seasons. Advertisement The 5-foot-10 guard from Newark, New Jersey adds depth and size to pair with the return of Madison Layden who carries a similar height and skillset as a shooter. Daye played in just four games last season. More: Purdue women's basketball 2025-26 Big Ten schedule is set. What stands out? Feb 4, 2024; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard KK Arnold (2) defends against St. John's Red Storm guard Tara Daye (44) in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports Purdue women's basketball adds its second player this week after 5-foot-8 guard Hila Karsh from Israel committed to the Boilermakers on Friday. Before her time at St. John's, Daye played her freshman year at DePaul. The addition of Daye gives Purdue women's basketball five players from the transfer portal including former Arkansas guard, Kiki Smith UNC Greensboro guard Nya Smith, Northern Arizona guard Taylor Feldman and UNC Wilmington guard Taylor Henderson. Advertisement Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@ on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson . This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue women's basketball receives former St. John's guard Tara Daye
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Purdue women's basketball signs former Arkansas guard, JUCO national champion
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue women's basketball filled a major gap at shooting guard through the transfer portal with a player who brings both talent and elite experience from the SEC. Former Arkansas guard Kiki Smith will join Purdue in 2025-26, Smith confirmed to the Journal & Courier. Advertisement Smith averaged 10.2 points and shot 40.6% from 3-point range. She started in 22 of 27 games during her sophomore year with the Razorbacks in 2024-25. Before attending Arkansas, Smith was named the 2024 NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Player of the Year and First Team All-American after leading Hutchinson Community College to the program's first NJCAA National Championship in 2024. More: Purdue women's basketball guard Madison Layden fueled by family and closure Arkansas guard Kiki Smith (2) looks for a path past Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) during the first quarter at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The addition of Smith comes as a huge splash for the Boilermakers that was sorely in need of a perimeter threat. Purdue ranked 142nd last season in 3-point field goal percentage as a team at a 32.1% clip while Smith was the 28th best 3-point shooter in the country ahead of former Notre Dame turned Texas Christian guard Olivia Miles. Advertisement More: Purdue women's basketball guard Madison Layden fueled by family and closure Smith originally signed a scholarship to the University of Evansville before choosing the junior college route at Hutchinson and led the Blue Dragons to an undefeated 37-0 record. The 5-foot-7 Smith proved she could play at a high level against the country's top teams. Smith scored 18 points and went 7 of 13 from the field including 4 of 8 from 3-point range against South Carolina on Feb. 20. The season high 23 points for Smith came against Alabama on 8 of 15 shooting including 4 of 9 from 3-point range on Jan. 19. Smith sank four 3-pointers on nine different occasions last season. Arkansas guard Kiki Smith (2) pushes past Texas Longhorns guard Shay Holle (10) during the game at the Moody Center on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Smith enters her junior year after Purdue added former Northern Arizona guard Taylor Feldman while seeing the return of Madison Layden-Zay who starred in 2020-21 to 2023-24 before taking a year off last season. Advertisement Purdue returns incoming sophomore forwards Lana McCarthy and Kendall Puryear. Puryear averaged 7.2 points and 3.7 rebounds last season primarily off the bench with one start and McCarthy averaged 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds with 26 starts. More: Northern Arizona guard Taylor Feldman joins Purdue women's basketball Junior guard McKenna Layden is the lone returning guard for Purdue from 2024-25 after making nine starts and averaged 4.6 points and 4.2 rebounds. Purdue hopes to get consistent results from incoming freshmen 4-star guard Keona Douwstra of Netherlands and 6-foot-7 center Avery Gordon. Gordon, from Brownsburg, Ind., is the 63rd ranked recruit of the 2025 class by ESPN shot 59% with 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks during her senior year. Advertisement Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@ on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson . This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue women's basketball signs Kiki Smith from Arkansas
