University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Wisconsin
GOPHERS SEASON ENDED BY WISCONSIN IN BIG TEN TOURNEY
3/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota (10-18) has lost first-round games at the Big Ten Tournament in each of the last three seasons, two of them to Wisconsin (1998 and 2000). Wisconsin (16-11), still holding hopes of an NCAA Tournament bid, advances to meet No. 3 seed Purdue on Friday.
"Our team fought and played hard," said Minnesota head coach Cheryl Littlejohn. "We came out with a great effort."
The Gophers hit four of their first six field goals to start the game but then went ice-cold, hitting just one field goal in their next 13 attempts as Wisconsin built a 21-11 lead. Four points by Cassie VanderHeyden fueled a 10-0 Gopher run to tie the score at 21. Badger freshman center Nina Smith's layup game Wisconsin a 26-24 at the half.
Brandy Harris hit a layup to tie the score at 26 to start the second half but the Gopher offense stalled once again. Four straight possessions resulted in Gopher turnovers, while Wisconsin concerted the miscues into points, rebuilding its double-digit lead.
Erin Olson sparked the Gophers to one last comeback attempt with six points, before a Kim Prince bucket brought Minnesota back to within eight points at 50-42 with 2:35 left to play. Smith halted the rally with a hook shot in the paint to recapture the Badgers' double-figure lead.
Playing in the final game of her collegiate career, Olson led all scorers with 18 points, 13 coming in the second half. The senior guard also added four assists, finishing the season with 131, the third-highest single-season mark in Minnesota history.
"Playing in your last game is tough and it doesn't really hit you until the last time the buzzer sounds," said Olson. "Tonight's game was a fun, but ugly game because both teams fought hard. I'm proud to be a Gopher. It's been a great experience."
