University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Santa Clara
WHALEN LEADS GOPHER WOMEN TO CLASSIC TITLE
11/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Whalen scored 13 of her game-high 17 points in the first half as Minnesota (2-0) build a 15-point, 46-31 cushion at the half. The Gophers used the last four minutes of the first half to take control of the game. After Becki Ashbaugh brought the Broncos back to within four points with a basket at 4:01, the Gophers used a 16-3 run to close the half.
Gopher Corrin Von Wald scored the first basket of the second half but Santa Clara scored off of three consecutive Minnesota turnovers to pull back to with 48-40. Minnesota regrouped after a timeout and ran off the next six points, three each by Lindsay Lieser and Janel McCarvillle, to return the Gopher lead to double digits. Santa Clara would chip the Gophers? lead to less than double figures once at 58-49, before Minnesota would go on to maintain a lead as big as 23 points the rest of the way.
Whalen topped a contingent of five Gophers who finished in double figures scoring. McCarville, who was also named to the all-tournament team, tallied 14 points. Sophomore Leslie Hill came off the bench to add 13 points and pull down six rebounds. Corrin Von Wald contributed an excellent all-around game, scoring 11 points, grabbing seven rebounds and four steals, and dishing out four assists. Kadidja Andersson chipped in 12 points.
The Gophers averaged an amazing 103.0 points in the Classic Minnesota shot 56 percent form the field in the championship game, after setting a school record of 71 percent accuracy from the floor in the semifinal against Butler.
Minnesota takes its 2-0 record into next week's Hawaii Tournament. The Gophers play No. 9 Stanford in the first round on Friday, Nov. 23.
