University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHER WOMEN TAKE ON WISCONSIN AND ILLINOIS ON THE ROAD
2/1/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MSC TO CARRY BORDER BATTLE - Midwest Sports Channel will broadcast the Wisconsin game on Thursday live. Craig Coshun, the sports anchor for WMTV in Madison will provide the play-by-play, while Lea B. Olsen, a regular on several Golden Gopher broadcasts, will add the color commentary.
ON THE RADIO - The Gophers' games at Wisconsin and Illinois can be heard on the radio, with WDGY-AM 630 carrying the broadcast. Anthony LaPanta will call the game, with Minnesota sports information director Becky Bohm handling the color commentary.
FOUR THREES TIES THE RECORD - The three-point field goal is a major part of the Minnesota game plan. The Gophers have attempted a three-pointer in 34.1 percent of their field goal attempts. The 117 treys recorded by the Gophers tops the Big Ten and, just 20 games into the season, ranks second in Gopher history for season three- point field goals made as a team. The Minnesota team record for three-pointers made in a season is 120 in 27 games by last year's club. The 1998-99 Gophers shot 33.7 percent or shot 356 attempts to attain the record 120 three-point field goals. This year's Gophers have attempted 357 threes, converting on 32.8 percent.
NUMBER TWO ALL-TIME FROM THREE - Sophomore guard Cassie VanderHeyden (East Bethel, Minn./St. Francis) hit two three-point field goals against Michigan on Sunday, moving the 5-6 sophomore sharpshooter into a tie for second place in Gopher history for career three-pointers made. VanderHeyden is tied with Jodi Olson (1987-90) with 98 three-point field goals. Shannon Loeblein (1992- 95) holds the career record with 133 three point field goals.
NEW MONTH, NEW HOPE - Bring on February. The month of January was not a kind one for Minnesota. The Gophers weathered losses in eight of their nine games during the month, its only win coming over in non-conference action against Indiana-Purdue. Minnesota was 5-2 in December and 2-2 in November, this season.
BIG TEN SCORING BLUES - Minnesota's scoring average in Big Ten games stands at 50.4 points per game, a conference low. The Gophers' dip in scoring average reflects their struggles shooting from the field. Overall, Minnesota has converted 33 percent of its field goal attempts in Big Ten play. That statistic falls to 26 percent from three-point range. Minnesota has put 60 points on the scoreboard just twice in Big Ten play (61 vs. Indiana, 60 vs. Purdue).
A STREAK TO BURY - Here's a streak dating back three years that has to go. Minnesota has lost 22 straight Big Ten games at home. Coach Cheryl Littlejohn (0-21) has yet to experience a conference victory on her home court. The last Big Ten win in the Sports Pavilion was a 66-64 victory over Ohio State on Feb. 2, 1997. There is not a single Gopher on this season's roster who played in that victory.
GUNNING FOR THE SINGLE-SEASON RECORD - Rookie long-range jumper artist Lindsay Lieser (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer) needs just eight more three-point field goals to set a new Minnesota single-season record. Lieser's total of 56 in 20 games is tied for the second- most three-pointers in a season, matching Cassie VanderHeyden's mark set last season in 27 games. The mark of 56 three-point field goals is also the most by a first-year player in Minnesota history. Shannon Loeblein holds the single-season record with 63 treys in 27 games during the 1994-95 season.
THE DYNAMIC DUO - The backcourt tandem of Lindsay Lieser and Cassie VanderHeyden has combined to hit 98 treys in 288 attempts. Between the two, they have scored only 39 baskets in the conventional two-point fashion. In other words, 294 of their combined 413 points on the season, or 71 percent of their points scored, have come from beyond the three-point arc.
HOT FROM THE STRIPE - The Gophers have made the most of its free throw opportunities in the last three games. Including a season-best 82.4 percent performance (14-17) against Michigan, Minnesota has shot 77 percent from the charity stripe in its last three outings, converting 44 of 57 chances. Erin Olson (Mitchell, S.D./Mitchell) hit 6-of-6 versus Michigan and a total of 15 of her last 16 in the three-game stretch. Cassie VanderHeyden was 10- of-11 in the last three contests.
LIESER AMONG THE NATION'S BEST FROM LONG RANGE - In last week's release of NCAA statistics, Lindsay Lieser was ranked 12th in the nation in three-point field goals made per game. She averages 2.8 three-point field goals per game.
BOWDEN SOLID IN HER ROLE - Though her 8.9 points per game average ranks fourth overall for the Gophers, senior forward Moneeke Bowden (Bakersfield, Calif./ South) leads the team lead in scoring in Big Ten games at 9.9 points per game. Bowden also tops the Gophers in rebounding, pulling down 6.5 boards per game, 6.7 in league games.
GETTING THE JOB DONE QUIETLY - Junior center Brandy Pickens (Flint, Mich./Powers Catholic) has played the best basketball of her Gopher career, albeit very quietly, and is a top candidate for most improved player honors. Pickens tops the Gophers in rebounding during Big Ten games with a 7.2 rebound average. The Gopher co- captain has improved her scoring during conference play to 5.6 points per game, up from her season average of 3.8 points per game. Pickens also is by far the leading Gopher in field goal percentage at 50.0 percent (32-64) for the season, also 50.0 percent (21-42) in league action.
MAKING THE PLAYS - Senior Erin Olson (Mitchell, S.D./ Mitchell) ranks third in the Big Ten in assists, dishing out an average of 4.5 assists per game. With 89 assists and 78 turnovers on the season, she is the only Gopher with more assists than turnovers.
PATROLLING THE PAINT - Sophomore center Kim Bell (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) is currently in fifth place on the Minnesota career blocks list with 73. Bell's next target on the list is Carol Ann Shudlick (1991-94) with 84. At 6-7, Bell, the tallest player to ever wear a Gopher uniform, ranks third in the Big Ten, averaging 1.9 blocks per game.
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY - An ironic twist to the 1999-2000 Minnesota season will go down in the Gopher record books in one positive and one negative manner. During this season, the Gopher defense allowed only 42 points in a 68-42 victory over St. Louis in December, marking the fewest points allowed by the Gophers in the NCAA era. Unfortunately, the Gopher offense suffered the same fate, scoring just 30 points in the loss to Penn State, the fewest Minnesota points scored since the 1981-82 season, or the start of the NCAA era.
GOPHERS SURPASS LAST YEAR'S WIN TOTAL - Minnesota's win over Indiana-Purdue (Jan. 23) gave the Gophers eight wins in a season for the first time since 1994-95, when they posted a 12-15 record. The Gophers' 8-11 mark this season shines compared to records of 7-20, 4-23, 4-24 and 4-23 over the past four seasons. The Gophers can't rest at eight. This year's team and last year's team had identical 7-9 records after 16 games. The 1998-99 Gophers never captured win number eight, finishing the season on a disappointing 11-game losing streak.
SCOUTING WISCONSIN - The Badgers are 10-8 overall, coming off consecutive road losses at Iowa (66-62) and No. 7 Penn State (68-54) in their action last week. The foundation of the Wisconsin roster are the past two Big Ten Players of the Year, 1998 honoree forward LaTonya Sims and 1999 awardwinner Jessie Stomski. LaTonya tops the Badgers averaging 14.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Stomski, an Oakdale, Minn., native, chips in 13.9 points and 8.0 rebounds an outing. Two other Badgers average in double figures, Tamara Moore at 13.6 and Kelley Paulus at 10.7 points per game, respectively.
Head coach Jane Albright is in her sixth season at Wisconsin and sports a 106-60 record with the Badgers.
The Series - Wisconsin has a slim 21-20 lead in the series with Minnesota but has won the last eight regular-season meetings. The last Gopher win was in the first round of the Big Ten Conference Tournament in 1997.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS - Illinois enters the week with a 16-7 record, 6-3 and tied for second in the Big Ten with Michigan and Purdue. A showdown at Michigan is next on the horizon for Illinois on Thursday. The prolific Illinois scoring machine, ranked second in the Big Ten, piles up an average of 77.2 points per game. Sophomore sensation Allison Curtin is third in the conference averaging 17.8 points per game. Tauja Catchings contributes 15.5 points per game, while grabbing a team- high 7.8 rebounds an outing. Susan Blauser adds 13.9 and 7.7 rebounds a game.
Head coach Theresa Grentz is in her fifth season at Illinois and sports a 92-52 record.
The Series - Illinois leads the series by a 21-13 count, winning the last eight games of the series with Minnesota.
UP NEXT - The Gophers will meet Wisconsin for the second time in a week, hosting the Badgers on Thursday, Feb. 10. Minnesota then has a bye on Sunday, Feb. 13.
