3/1/2024 other sports Edit

Purdue forward Caitlyn Harper tears ACL, to miss rest of season

Wisconsin's Brooke Schramek defends Purdue's Caitlyn Harper, an Arrowhead High School graduate, on Sunday February 25, 2024 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Harper finished with 19 points in a 79-55 victory. (© Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Dub Jellison • BoilerUpload

Staff Writer

Purdue's worst fear has been realized as forward Caitlyn Harper announced Friday that she would miss the remainder of the season after tearing her ACL on Wednesday night against Penn State.

"Although this is the end of my basketball career, I am extremely grateful for the experiences and relationships I have built along the way. I may not be on the court, but I will support this amazing team from the sidelines," Harper said in a statement.

Harper was in the midst of the best game of her Boilermaker career, scoring 29 points (a career-high in a Purdue uniform) on 12-16 shooting to go along with eight rebounds. She went down with less than five minutes to play and emerged from the locker room on crutches during Senior Night ceremonies.

The Cal Baptist transfer spent two seasons with the Boilermakers, playing in 58 games and starting 57. Harper averaged 11.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 54% from the field and 34% from three-point range.

Purdue will now head into the regular season finale and Big Ten Tournament without its starting post player. Katie Gearlds has Mary Ashley Stevenson, Mila Reynolds and Alaina Harper (the younger sister of Caitlyn of course) in the front court moving forward. Expect those three to see all of the minutes the rest of the season.