University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Northern Iowa
GOLDEN GOPHER WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DOWNS UNI, 80-64
11/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
On the strength of a 21-0 run to end the game, the University of Minnesota women's basketball team turned a close game into a blowout, downing Northern Iowa, 80-64, Wednesday night at the Sports Pavilion in front of 1,004 fans. The Golden Gophers were led by sophomore guard Lindsay Whalen (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) who ended the contest with a game-high 24 points.
The Gophers trailed 38-31 at halftime as the Panthers shot 56.7 percent from the field. Minnesota upped its defensive pressure in the second stanza, holding UNI to just 26 points on 11-of-30 shooting.
"What a difference of two halves," Golden Gopher Head Coach Brenda Oldfield said. "Our intensity in the second half was the difference. We played much better and with a lot more confidence."
Whalen, the reigning two-time Big Ten Player of the Week, scored 16 points in the second half to spark the Golden Gophers. Her average of 21.3 points per game leads the team and is second in the Big Ten.
"It's amazing to see when the game is on the line how Lindsay wants the ball in her hands," said Oldfield. "She does so many things for us."
With 5:14 remaining, UNI led 64-59, but a basket by Kadidja Andersson (Stockholm, Sweden/Brannkykra Gym.) and two each by Janel McCarville (Stevens Point, Wis./Stevens Point Area) and Whalen gave the Golden Gophers a six-point lead with 2:24 to play. Minnesota made eight-of-10 free throws down the stretch to seal the game. Minnesota was 20-for-25 from the free throw line overall.
Junior guard Corrin Von Wald (Hudson, Wis./Hudson/Wis.-Milwaukee) scored 17 points, along with a team-high seven rebounds, as four Golden Gophers reached double figures. Andersson added 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field. The sophomore forward was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. McCarville contributed 10 points and six boards.
The Panthers led by as many as nine points early in the second half, but steady play and just two second-half turnovers by Minnesota got the Gophers back into the contest.
"UNI is a good team, but at the end I think we just wore them down," Whalen said.
Minnesota will be back in action Saturday at noon when they host Dayton.
