Sports

Boilermakers' coach chases 300th career win in NCAA women's tourney opener

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Akron head coach Jodi Kest yells to her team during during practice at the NCAA women's college basketball tournament in West Lafayette, Ind., Friday, March 21, 2014. Akron plays Purdue in a first-round game on Saturday. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) (The Associated Press)

Akron guard Hanna Luburgh brings the ball up court during practice at the NCAA women's college basketball tournament in West Lafayette, Ind., Friday, March 21, 2014. Akron plays Purdue in a first-round game on Saturday. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) (The Associated Press)

Purdue coach Sharon Versyp feels right at home this weekend. She's back in the building she starred in as a player, back in the NCAA tournament where the Boilermakers have been virtually unbeatable in the first round and back in a building that has been so good to Purdue.

If the fourth-seeded Boilermakers (21-8) follow the script Saturday against NCAA tourney newcomer Akron (23-9), Versyp will get her 300th career win in front of the home crowd, too. Fifth-seeded Oklahoma State (23-8) faces 12th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast (26-7) Saturday's first game.

The winners meet Monday night.

It won't be easy for Purdue.

Akron, the Mid-American Conference champs, are making their first NCAA appearance and have two of the nation's top 15 scorers this season and four 1,000-point scorers.