University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Ohio State
GOPHER WOMEN LOSE TO OHIO STATE IN OVERTIME
2/15/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota watched a nine-point lead at 32-23 with 14:50 left in regulation melt away with a 11-2 Buckeye run over the next five minutes. The teams traded baskets and the lead seven times in the second half. A three pointer by Gopher guard Lindsay Lieser with 19 seconds left, knotted the score at 56. Ohio State had several attempts at the winning buckets in the final seconds but could not convert.
Ohio State (15-8, 5-8) scored the first four points in overtime on layups by D'Wan Shackleford and Courtney Coleman. Kim Prince hit a pair of free throws to reduce the Gopher deficit to two points before Buckeye senior Jamie Lewis hit the biggest shot of the game.
A scramble for a missed Ohio State shot resulted in an inbounds play underneath the Buckeye basket with just two seconds remaining on the shot clock. Lewis collected the inbounds pass from Lauren Shenk and drained a three pointer from the left baseline to give the Buckeyes a five-point cushion at 63-58 with 2:24 left.
Leslie Hill scored a layup to bring the Gophers to within 63-60, but Minnesota turned the ball over in its next three possessions as the Buckeyes built as large as an eight-point lead in the final minute. Ohio State hit its last six free throws to ice the victory.
Kim Prince contributed a solid game, leading the Gophers with 22 points and 15 rebounds, her third double-double of the season. Lindsay Whalen added 19 points, including a 10-for-10 performance from the free throw line. Hill came off the bench to play 33 minutes and chipped in 12 points.
Four of five Buckeye starters finished in double figures, led by Coleman with 22 points, Lewis finished with 16 points and seven assists.
For the second straight game against Ohio State, Minnesota lost sophomore point guard Ozlem Piroglu to a knee injury. On Feb. 8, Piroglu injured her left knee in the third minute of the game. Tonight, Piroglu went down with a right knee injury in the fourth minute of the contest. Her status will be evaluated on Friday.
The Gophers dominated on the boards but were unable to capitalize on a 52-32 rebounding advantage. Ohio State got to the free throw line 42 times in the game, making 28. Comparatively, Minnesota hit for an impressive 93 percent from the line but were there much less often, making 13-of-14 attempts.
Minnesota's next game is Sunday, when it travels to Purdue for a 2 p.m. game.
