University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Women's Basketball Season in Review
4/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The 2001-02 Golden Gopher women's basketball season will long go down as the season of the big turnaround. Minnesota garnered a turnaround that was the best ever in the Big Ten Conference and ranked as one of the best in the nation this season. The Gophers finished the season with a 22-8 overall record, a national ranking and just the second trip to the NCAA Tournament in the school's women's basketball history. Minnesota contended for the Big Ten title until the very last week of the season and placed in a tie for second-place with an 11-5 record. Minnesota completed the season ranked No. 18 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 21 in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Gophers Continues Streak of Top 20 Rankings
Minnesota held the No. 18 in the Associated Press Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll released March 11, continuing a streak of eight weeks among the top 25. The Gophers have earned as high as a No. 14 ranking this season, which was the highest in school history. Minnesota finished the season ranked No. 21 in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll, dated April 1.
Minnesota was the Best NCAA Tourney Turnaround Story
Of the 64 teams selected to compete in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, eight schools can lay claim to turnaround success stories. Minnesota, however, owned the best one-year turnaround story in this year's tourney field, having gone from an 8-20 overall record in 2000-01 to 22-8 this season. Listed are the eight schools that competed in the 2002 NCAA Tournament that posted losing records in 2000-01 and turned it around to make the "Big Dance" in 2001-02:
School 2001-02 Record 2000-01 Final +Wins Minnesota 22-8 8-20 +14 Kansas State 26-8 12-16 +14 South Carolina 25-7 11-17 +14 St. Francis (Pa.) 19-12 9-18 +10 Harvard 22-6 12-15 +10 Weber State 22-9 12-15 +10 Norfolk State 22-9 13-15 +9 Syracuse 18-13 12-15 +6 Gophers Have Winning Record Against NCAA Teams
The Golden Gophers played 14 games this season against teams that competed in the NCAA field, garnering an 8-6 record. Teams Minnesota faced and the record against those teams this season: Purdue (1-1), Penn State (0-1), Wisconsin (2-1), Iowa (1-0), Indiana (1-1), Stanford (0-1), Weber State (1-0), Santa Clara (1-0), UNLV (1-0) and North Carolina (0-1).
A Bright Future for the Gophers
The Golden Gophers say farewell to two seniors from the 2001-02 squad, center Kim Bell (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) and guard Jenny MacKay (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids). The future is very bright for a talented groups of Gophers next season.
Minnesota will return its entire starting lineup and 98.6 percent of its scoring punch and 98.1 percent of its rebounding from the 2001- 02 season.
Whalen Named to AP All-America Third Team
Sophomore guard Lindsay Whalen (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) was selected to the Associated Press All-America third team. Whalen became just the sixth Minnesota women's basketball player to earn All-America honors.
Whalen, the 2002 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, averaged 22.2 points per game for the Golden Gophers. She is known not only for her scoring prowess but for her all-around game in which she also contributed 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals an outing.
A 5-8 point guard, Whalen is the first Gopher to garner All- America honors since former Minnesota great Carol Ann Shudlick captured first-team Kodak All-America and Wade Trophy honors in 1994. That was also the last and only season until 2001-02 that Minnesota earned an NCAA Tournament berth.
A total of four Big Ten players were accorded All-America acclaim. Joining Whalen were Penn State's Kelly Mazzante (second team), Purdue's Shereka Wright (third team) and Wisconsin's Jessie Stomski (honorable mention).
Whalen was also honored as a U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-American and as a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American. 2002 Associated Press All-America Teams
Gophers Set History with Big Ten Sweep
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team set Big Ten Conference history, when the Golden Gophers swept the league's player, freshman and coach of the year awards, on Feb. 27. Sophomore Lindsay Whalen was selected as the Big Ten Player of the Year, Janel McCarville (Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) was tabbed the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Brenda Oldfield was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year. The trio were selected to these honors in both Big Ten head coaches and media balloting.
Whalen, a 5-8 point guard joins Ohio State's Tracey Hall (1986) and Minnesota's Laura Coenen (1983) as the only sophomores to earn the Big Ten's top honor. Whalen led the Big Ten's most potent offense by averaging 22.2 points per game and by shooting a 56.1 field goal percentage. There is much more to Whalen, however, than being just a scoring threat. The first player to earn Big Ten Player of the Week honors five times in a single season, Whalen ranked among the Big Ten leaders in assists (5.3, third), steals (2.7, fourth) and rebounding by guards (5.5, first). She adds her unanimous first-team All-Big Ten accolades to the honorable mention award she earned her rookie season.
Whalen is the third Minnesota player to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors, joining Coenen (the first Big Ten Player of the Year in 1983) and Carol Ann Shudlick (1994).
McCarville is the first Golden Gopher to be selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. A 6-2 center, McCarville is also a second- team All-Big Ten honoree. The Gophers' second-leading scorer at 13.0 points per game, and top rebounder at 8.0 boards an outing, McCarville made the paint her home in her rookie season. Of her six double-doubles this season, five came in Big Ten play. In conference games only, McCarville was ranked 14th in scoring average (15.1 ppg.), second in field goal percentage (.591), third in rebounding 8.2 rpg.) and tenth in blocked shots (1.00 bpg.).
Whalen Hits 1,000 in Record Fashion
Sophomore Lindsay Whalen needed just 51 games to become the fastest Golden Gopher to collect 1,000 career points. Whalen currently has 1,092 points. She surpassed the milestone on a break-away lay-up in the second half of the win over Wisconsin (Feb. 21).
22 Wins Best in NCAA Era
Minnesota's 22 wins this season sets a new school record for total wins in the NCAA era. Overall, the school record for wins in a season is 28, prior to the NCAA, when Minnesota was 28-7 in 1980-81.
The Best Big Ten Finish Ever
The Golden Gophers' second-place tie in the Big Ten standings this season marks the highest conference placing in school history. Prior to this season, the best Minnesota had ever placed in the 20-year history of the Big Ten was third in 1982-83 (the first year of the conference) and 1984-85.
Whalen A Nominee for Point Guard of the Year Honors
Lindsay Whalen has been selected as one of 11 nominees for the Conseco Nancy Lieberman Step Up Award, honoring the nation's top collegiate point guard in NCAA Division I women's basketball. The award is presented by the Rotary Club of Detroit.
Whalen is among a talented group of nominees: Alana Beard (Duke), Sue Bird (Connecticut), Stacey Dales (Oklahoma), Sheila Lambert (Baylor), Kara Lawson (Tennessee), Brandi McCain (Florida), Ashley McElhiney (Vanderbilt), Tamara Moore (Wisconsin), Sara Nord (Louisville) and Lindsey Wilson (Iowa State).
The award will be presented at a noon luncheon at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center on April 20, 2002.
The criteria for the award is the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that personify Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman during her career. The Associated Press sportswriters from across the country will determine the finalists and eventual winner.
Excelling in the Classroom as Well
Sophomore Lindsay Whalen was named to the Verizon Academic All-District V Second Team. Whalen owns a 3.42 grade point average while majoring in sports management.
Whalen was joined by three other starters - Kadidja Andersson, Lindsay Lieser and < a href="../wbasket/player.asp?player_id=1294">Corrin Von Wald - as Golden Gophers honored as Academic All-Big Ten performers.
A New Tradition Starts Here
Winning 11 Big Ten games this season has a touch of special significance considering the Gophers had won a total of eight Big Ten games over the last six years (1995-96 to 2000-01) while posting an 8- 88 record. The 11 conference wins is the most ever by Minnesota during a 16-game Big Ten schedule.
Enjoying Their Winning Ways
Minnesota enjoyed its first winning campaign since 1993-94. The Gophers have posted just five winning seasons in the last 20 years making up the NCAA era: 20-7 in 1982-93, 18-10 in 1984-85, 18-11 in 1993-94, 14- 12 in 1992-93 and 22-8 in the 2001-02 season. The Gophers made NCAA Tournament appearance in the 1993-94 and 2001-02 seasons.
Gophers Set Big Ten Record for the Best Turnaround
The Golden Gophers won 10 more games in Big Ten play than they did a year ago, setting a conference record for the best one-year turnaround in Big Ten history.
Best Big Ten Turnaround Seasons - School-by-school School Turnaround Record/Year Record/Year Minnesota 10 1-15 / 2000-01 11-5 / 2001-02 Iowa 9 2-16 / 1992-93 11-7 / 1993-94 9 6-10 / 1994-95 15-1 / 1995-96 Northwestern 9 6-12 / 1988-89 15-3 / 1989-90 Purdue 8 8-10 / 1992-93 16-2 / 1933-94 Ohio State 7 9-9 / 1991-92 16-2 / 1992-93 Michigan 7 1-17 / 1984-85 8-10 / 1985/86 Wisconsin 7 7-11 / 1990-91 13-5 / 1991-92 Michigan State 6 7-11 / 1989-90 13-5 / 1990-91 Illinois 6 6-10 / 1995-96 12-4 / 1996-97 Indiana 5 5-13 / 1992-93 10-8 / 1993-94 Penn State 4 8-8 / 1997-98 12-4 / 1998-99 Can You Comprehend the Cinderella Story?
By looking at regular season records since 1993-94 (the Gophers' last winning season and first NCAA appearance before this season), it's easy to prove why the Gophers' 2001-02 campaign was such a Cinderella story:
Year Overall Record Big Ten Big Ten Finish 2001-02 22-8 11-5 Tie - Second 2000-01 8-20 1-15 10th 1999-00 10-18 3-13 Tie - 10th 1998-99 7-20 2-14 Tie - 10th 1997-98 4-23 1-15 11th 1996-97 3-24 1-15 11th 1995-96 4-23 0-16 11th 1994-95 12-15 7-9 Tie - Seventh 1993-94 18-11 10-8 Tie - Fourth How About This for a 180-Degree Turn?
Minnesota was rated 18th in the final Collegiate Basketball News power ratings index (RPI) of the season, with Purdue (6) the only Big Ten school ranked ahead of the Gophers. The top team in the RPI rating was Tennessee, followed by Connecticut and Oklahoma. The other Big Ten teams in the top 50 are Penn State (20), Wisconsin (33), Iowa (35) and Michigan State (50).
Talk about a quantum leap, Minnesota ended the 2000-01 season with a RPI of 197. In 1999-00, the Gophers' RPI was 176.
The RPI (Rating Percentage Index) is a measure of strength of schedule and how a team does against that schedule. It does not consider things like margin of victory or where a game is played, only whether or not a team won. It is used by the NCAA as one of their factors in deciding which teams to invite to the NCAA tournament and where to seed them.
Williams Arena Magic
The Golden Gophers were forced to move to Williams Arena after the Sports Pavilion floor was damaged on Jan. 19, when a pipe burst and flooded the arena. After the move, Minnesota was 4-1 in Williams with an average attendance of 8,828 per game.
Gopher Turnaround One of the Best in the Country
Minnesota experienced one of the best one-year turnaround seasons in the nation, according to information collected by Eric Goodwin, the Big Ten Conference Assistant Director of Communications and women's basketball contact. The list was compiled using a comparison of last season's final winning percentage to the team's current winning percentage in 2001-02.
School 2001-02 Record 2000-01 Final Diff. Valparaiso 24-7 .774 7-22 .241 +.533 Minnesota 22-8 .733 8-20 .286 +.447 South Carolina 25-7 .781 11-17 .393 +.388 Harvard 22-6 .786 12-15 .444 .342 Kansas State 26-8 .765 12-16 .429 +.336 Whalen Second on Single-Season Assist List
Lindsay Whalen notched her 100th assist of the season in the game at Ohio State and tallied 159 on the season. She became the 12th player in Minnesota history (NCAA era) to surpass 100 assists in a single season.
The top five single-season assist marks in Gopher history were recorded by players who also scored in double figures. Here is where Whalen stacks up among the best playmakers in Minnesota history:
Single-season Assist Leaders Assists (APG) PPG 1. Debbie Hunter (1982-83) 174 (6.4) 17.7 2. Lindsay Whalen (2001-02) 159 (5.3) 22.2 3. Lea Blackwell (1988-89) 136 (5.2) 13.9 4. Erin Olson (1999-00) 131 (4.7) 11.4 5. Debbie Hunter (1981-82) 129 (4.6) 10.8 Whalen Third on Single-Season Scoring List
Lindsay Whalen ranked third on the Minnesota single-season scoring list with 667 points this season.
Single-season Scoring Leaders Points PPG 1. Laura Coenen (1984-85) 708 25.3 2. Carol Ann Shudlick (1993-94) 678 23.4 3. Lindsay Whalen (2001-02) 667 22.2 McCarville's Rookie Season Among Gopher Greats
For the second year in a row, Minnesota has a rookie come in to post one of the best first-year performances in school history. In 2000-01, it was Lindsay Whalen</ a>, who scored 425 points in 25 games to rank fourth in rookie scoring. This season, Janel McCarville finished with one of the top scoring totals for a first-year Gopher in school history.
All-Americans Shudlick and Coenen completed stellar Minnesota careers as the only Gophers to score over 2,000 points, scoring 2,097 and 2,044, respectively.
First-year Gopher Scoring 1. Linda Roberts (1977-78) 475 points 33 games 14.4 ppg. 2. Laura Coenen (1981-82) 456 points 28 games 16.3 ppg. 3. Laura Gardner (1978-79) 453 points 32 games 14.1 ppg. 4. Lindsay Whalen (2000-01) 425 points 25 games 17.0 ppg. 5. Janel McCarville</ a> (2001-02) 391 points 30 games 13.0 ppg. 6. Molly Tadich (1983-84) 305 points 27 games 11.3 ppg. 7. Carol Ann Shudlick (1990-91) 285 points 24 games 11.9 ppg. Finding Her Way to the Charity Stripe
One of Lindsay Whalen</ a>'s strengths is getting to the free throw line. This season, the Gopher point guard visited the stripe 191 times, the most by any guard in Minnesota history. That is an average of over six trips to the free throw line per game. She has converted 147 free throws for 77.0 percent on the season.
The Word on Andersson - Steady
Kadidja Andersson (Stockholm, Sweden) was one of the most consistent players on the Gophers' roster this season. Her overall and Big Ten statistics are quite similar. The 5-11 sophomore finished fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 10.5 points per game. She scored in double figures in 20 of 30 games. Andersson also pulled down 4.8 rebounds an outing and ranked third on the team in assists with 62.
The Whalen Factor
Lindsay Whalen earned league player of the year honors with an all- around game that has fueled the Gophers' dream season. Here's a look at how she ranked in the Big Ten statistical categories. Lindsay Whalen in the Big Ten stats:
Scoring Second 22.0 ppg. Rebounding by Guards First 5.5 rpg. Assists Third 5.3 apg. Steals Third 2.7 spg. Field Goal Percentage Fifth 56.1% Assist/Turnover Ratio Ninth 1.21 Von Wald Quietly Put Up Impressive Numbers
Guard/forward Corrin Von Wald (Hudson, Wis.) had a pretty good stat line of her own in her first season playing for the Gophers. Von Wald, a junior who transferred to Minnesota from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, averaged 12.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.4 assists per game.
Balance, Balance and More Balance
Minnesota had five players score in double figures in the win over Iowa (Feb. 3). This is not an unusual occurrence for the Gophers. In fact this season, five Gophers have hit double digits in six games. Minnesota has had four players score in double figures in 18 games this season.
Here's an Indicator of Success
Minnesota made nearly as many free throws (484) as their opponents attempted (491). In the Gophers' Big Ten games this season, that stat stood at 264 free throws made by Minnesota, 251 attempted by league opposition. The Gophers shot 73.2 percent from the line this season.
McCarville Thrived on Big Ten Competition
Gopher rookie Janel McCarville averaged 15.0 points per game against Big Ten competition this season, to rank 14th in the conference. She ranked third in rebounding, pulling down 8.2 boards per game, to become the only first-year player to rank among the conference's top 15 in scoring and rebounding. In her first Big Ten season, McCarville shot 59.1 percent from the field to rank second in the Big Ten.
McCarville posted five double-doubles in the Big Ten season with 23 points and 11 rebounds against Illinois (Jan. 3), 18 points and 13 rebounds versus Purdue (Jan. 10), 22 points and 10 rebounds in the second meeting with Illinois (Jan. 31), 14 points and 15 rebounds in the second meeting with Ohio State (Feb. 7) and 20 points and 10 rebounds versus Wisconsin (Feb. 21).
Her seven total double-doubles on the season ranked sixth in the Big Ten, but tops the list for first-year players.
A Key Stat for Some More W's
A key stat leading to the Gophers' 22-8 record is field goal percentage, where the Gophers as a team shot 49.3 percent. The Gophers maintained above a 50 percent field goal percentage for all but three games of the season. Minnesota led the Big Ten in this statistical category and ranked fourth nationally.
2001-02 Tops During NCAA Era
With 22 wins this season, the Gophers enjoyed success that hasn't come around often in Minnesota basketball history during the NCAA era.
Year Wins Final Record 2001-02 22 22-8 1982-83 20 20-7 1984-85 18 18-10 1993-94 18 18-11 1992-93 14 14-12 1983-84 12 12-15 1994-95 12 12-15 1999-00 10 10-18 Gophers Win Record Six Straight Home Big Ten Games
Minnesota's wins over Michigan on Jan. 17, Illinois on Jan. 3, Indiana on Jan. 27, Ohio State on Feb. 7, Purdue on Feb. 14 and Wisconsin on Feb. 21 marked the first six-game home Big Ten winning streak for the Gophers. A loss to Michigan State on Feb. 24, ended the streak. Minnesota was 11-2 at home in 2001-02.
A Pretty Smart Group of Starters
Three of the five Gopher starters (Lindsay Lieser, Corrin Von Wald, Lindsay Whalen) were nominated for Verizon CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. To be eligible for this prestigious award, players must have a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and be at least a sophomore. The award, recognizing the best student-athletes in the nation, is voted on by the nation's sports information directors.
Prince Played a Major Role Off the Bench
Junior center Kim Prince (Montgomery, Ala./Carver) started 23 games in her sophomore season but came off the bench this year to contribute major minutes in the post. Prince contributed 20.9 minutes a game, averaging 7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Describe This Defense as Opportunistic
Sure Minnesota scored in bunches this season, but in several instances the Gophers' defense led to golden opportunities on the offensive end of the court. Minnesota ranked fourth in the Big Ten in steals per game, averaging 10.5 steals per game. The Gophers collected 316 steals in 30 games, up considerably from a year ago, when they had 189 in 28 games.
Winning Streak Best in 21 Years
Minnesota had its seven-game winning streak, the longest winning streak since a 12-game streak in the 1980-81 season, broken with an 88-83 loss to No. 24 Penn State on Dec. 28. Only three current Gophers (Kim Bell, Ozlem Piroglu, Kadidja Andersson) had been born when that streak in 1980-81 occurred.
Road Winning Streak Goes Back 21 Years as Well
The Gophers won six consecutive road games, from Nov. 24 to Jan. 7, a streak that was ended by Purdue on Jan. 10. Minnesota last won six consecutive road games in 1980-81, when the Gophers won seven consecutive. The record is 10 straight road wins in 1977-78, before the NCAA era.
Lighting Up the Scoreboard
Minnesota averaged 79.7 points per game this season, an average that led the Big Ten Conference. The Gophers scored 80 or more points in 15 of 30 games, posted 90 or more points seven times and a season-high of 114 points in the season opener versus Butler. The 114 points against Butler was the highest scoring game in the Big Ten this season.
Hemberg Earned More Court Time with Inspired Play
Sophomore Ebba Hemberg</ a> (Stockholm, Sweden) provided a spark off the bench at point guard this season. Hemberg, one of the best defensive players on the Gopher roster, averaged 12.2 minutes a game compared to a total of 57 minutes of action during her entire rookie season. As the Gophers' reserve point guard, Hemberg did an excellent job of stepping into the lineup and taking care of the basketball. She posted close to a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio with 60 assists and 37 turnovers this season.
The Brooms Came Out of Storage
Minnesota's 79-76 overtime victory over Illinois gave the Gophers their first season sweep of a Big Ten opponent since sweeping Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin during the 1993-94 season. It was also the first sweep of Illinois since the 1984-85 season.
Minnesota also swept Wisconsin this season, marking the first time since 1993-94 that the Gophers won both meetings with the Badgers in a season.
NCAA Suspended Piroglu Indefinitely
In an ongoing investigation into European women's basketball leagues, the NCAA has advised that guard Ozlem Piroglu (Ankara, Turkey) is among a handful of Turkish athletes playing basketball in the United States to be penalized for violations of NCAA rules regarding amateur status.
Piroglu was forced to sit out an unspecified number of games on the Gopher schedule, a stretch that started Jan. 31 at Illinois. She had hoped to regain her eligibility in time to join her Golden Gopher teammates for the Big Ten Conference Tournament, but has not yet received clearance from the NCAA to resume action.
Piroglu started 20 games for the Gophers in the 2000-01 season before tearing an ACL in her right knee and missing the last four games of her sophomore season. She missed early action this season after she had her left knee scoped and returned to the team in December. She played in nine games this season, averaging 1.6 points and 2.2 assists per game.
Lieser Owns Minnesota Career Trifecta Record
Junior guard Lindsay Lieser broke the Minnesota career three-point field goal record in the Dayton game (12/1) and now has 190 treys in her Gopher career. The former record was held by Shannon Loeblein, who set the record with 133 treys from 1992-95. Lieser shoots 86 percent of her field attempts from behind the arc. This season, she drained 73 treys in 179 attempts for a 40.8 percent three-point field goal percentage.
Gophers Seventh in the Nation in Scoring Average
A high-energy and exciting offense propelled the Gophers to the leading scoring average in the Big Ten Conference at 79.7 points per game, an average that ranked seventh in the nation behind Connecticut (87.0), Duke (83.5), Eastern Kentucky (80.9), Stanford (80.3), North Carolina (79.9) and Tennessee (79.9).
A major reason the Gophers' scoring average skyrocketed from the 67.9 points per game they averaged a year ago is field goal percentage. Minnesota is fourth in the nation converting 49.3 percent of their field goal attempts. Only Vanderbilt (52.1), Connecticut (52.0) and Kansas State (49.4) had better percentages. Not all of the Gophers' field goal attempts are lay-ups either. Minnesota ranked 17th in three- point field goal percentage at 37.6 percent.
NCAA Statistics (Final) Team Scoring Average 79.7 Seventh Field Goal Pct. 49.3 Fourth 3-Pt. FG Pct. 37.6 17th Lindsay Whalen Scoring Average 22.2 Eighth Field Goal Pct. 56.1 29th FG Pct. by Guards 56.1 Second Steals 2.7 t50th Lindsay Lieser 3-Pt. FG Pct. 40.8 23rd 3-Pt FG Per Game 2.4 t40th Rookie So Very Close to Nation's Best List
First-year center Janel McCarville topped the Gophers by converting 58.0 percent of her field goal attempts. The dominating rookie would have ranked 15th in the nation in field goal percentage but was just 12 made field goals short of qualifying for the elite list. Players must average 5.0 field goals made per game. McCarville's 138 field goals checks in at 4.6 made per game.
All-Time Attendance Record Broken Again
After shattering the all-time Minnesota attendance record on Jan. 27, when 11,389 fans gathered in Williams Arena to watch a 75-60 victory over Indiana, a crowd of 12,142 reset the mark once again on Feb. 24 versus Michigan State.
Top Minnesota Attendance Figures All-Time Since 1975-76 season (*game played at Williams Arena) Attendance Date Opponent Result 1. 12,142 2-24-02 Michigan State L, 80-72* 2. 11,389 1-27-02 Indiana W, 75-60* 3. 8,639 2-14-02 Purdue W, 73-64* 4. 7,659 2-21-02 Wisconsin W, 76-74* 5. 6,746 1-24-93 Indiana W, 80-70* 6. 5,526 2-10-95 Illinois W, 92-46 7. 4,902 2-19-99 Purdue L, 63-61 8. 4,312 2-7-02 Ohio State W, 79-64* 9. 4,282 2-6-94 Northwestern W, 84-74 The Fans are Catching the Fever
Home attendance improved as much as the Gophers' record this season. Minnesota's home attendance improved by 301 percent up to 4,360 fans per game from 1,087 a year ago. In Big Ten contests, Minnesota's attendance improved from 1,201 fans per game to an average crowd of 6,371 this season. That is an increase of 530 percent.
Season Attendance Shadows Team's Turnaround
With the top four home crowds in the books, Minnesota easily posted its highest single-season attendance figure in 2001-02. Minnesota is ranked 19th in the nation in average attendance.
Year Total Attendance Games Average 2001-02 56,677 13 4,360 1994-95 27,428 13 2,110 1993-94 25,633 13 1,972 1992-93 24,745 13 1,903 1997-98 23,553 13 1,812 The Irony of the Move to Williams
Minnesota averaged an attendance of 8,828 in the five games the Gophers played in Williams Arena after the flood of Jan. 19 forced the move from the Sports Pavilion. If Minnesota were able to use that figure as its average attendance for the year, the Gophers would rank seventh in the nation.
Whalen Earns Fifth Big Ten Player of the Week Honor
Point guard Lindsay Whalen was named the Co-Big Ten Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Feb. 18, marking the first time in Big Ten Conference history a player has garnered the weekly honor five times in a single season. Whalen shares this week's honor with Purdue sophomore forward Shereka Wright.
Whalen jumps ahead of an impressive list of Big Ten stars who earned the award four times in a season. Players who earned the sward four times in a single season are: Kelly Mazzante (Penn State, 2001- 02), Anucha Browne (Northwestern, 1984-85), Nikita Lowry (Ohio State, 1987-88), Lisa Cline (Ohio State, 1988-89) and Jonelle Polk (Illinois, 1984-85). Browne, Lowry and Cline were later recognized as either the Big Ten Player of the Year or the Chicago Tribune Big Ten Most Valuable Player in the season they gathered four Big Ten weekly awards.
Whalen averaged 28.5 points per game as the No. 14 Golden Gophers defeated then-No. 7 Purdue but lost at Indiana in last week's action. Against Purdue, Whalen torched the nets for a career-high 41 points, the fifth 40-plus scoring game in Gopher history. She converted 15-of- 20 field goal attempts and added five assists to the victory. In the Indiana game, Whalen tallied 16 points and dished out five assists.
Fourth Big Ten Weekly Honor for Whalen
Sophomore point guard Lindsay Whalen was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 4, after leading the Gophers to a pair of important road wins. She is the first Minnesota player to earn the award four times in one season. Former Golden Gopher greats Carol Ann Shudlick (1992-93 and 1993-94) and Laura Coenen (1984-85) earned the Big Ten accolades three times in a single season. Whalen averaged 30.0 points per game in wins at Illinois and Iowa. Her career-high 34-point performance against the Hawkeyes tied for the 10th-best single-game outing in school history and was the third 30-plus game of her career. Whalen tallied 26 against Illinois, including scoring the Gophers' final nine points in the overtime period. She also averaged 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals in the two games.
Whalen Earns Third Big Ten Player of the Week Honor
Lindsay Whalen was named the Big Ten Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Jan. 21, after leading her No. 23/25 Minnesota Golden Gopher squad to a pair of wins over nationally ranked opponents. It was Whalen's third Big Ten weekly honor this season.
Whalen averaged 29.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game in the Gophers' wins over No. 23 Michigan and No. 5/7 Wisconsin. Minnesota's 92-85 victory over the Badgers in front of a Big Ten record crowd of 17.142 at the Kohl Center in Madison, marked the Gophers' best win over a highly ranked opponent since defeating No. 3 Texas Tech in December of 1993.
Whalen scored a career-high 32 points in Minnesota's win over Wisconsin. She also added nine rebounds, seven assists and six steals to the winning effort. Against Michigan, she finished two assists away from a triple-double by scoring 27 points, pulling down a career-high 10 rebounds and dishing out eight assists.
Whalen Repeats as Big Ten Player of the Week
Sophomore guard Lindsay Whalen earned the Big Ten Player of the Week honor on Nov. 26. It was the second week in a row Whalen was selected for the honor. Whalen captured the honor after garnering all-tournament team honors at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Hawaii.
Whalen averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game in leading Minnesota to a 2-1 record in the tournament. Whalen scored over 20 points twice, with 25 points in the win over Wyoming and 24 points in the victory over Weber State.
Former Gopher Carol Ann Shudlick is the only other player in Minnesota history to win back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week awards, doing so in January 1993.
Whalen Named Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 19
Lindsay Whalen was honored as the Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 19, after leading Minnesota to Golden Gopher Basketball Classic title. The honor is the first of Whalen's Gopher career.
Whalen captured MVP honors in leading Minnesota to the title of the Golden Gopher Basketball Classic. Whalen averaged 21.0 points per game over the weekend, scoring 25 versus Butler and 17 against Santa Clara in the championship game. Her total of 42 points was collected in just 49 minutes of playing time.
Whalen hit 12-13 field goal attempts for 92.3 percent versus Butler to set a Gopher single-game record for field goal percentage with over 10 field goals made.
Gilbert Redshirts the Season
Guard/forward Tanisha Gilbert (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park) is rehabilitating her left knee after ACL surgery during the summer. Gilbert redshirted the 2001-02 season and will return next season with sophomore eligibility.
Gophers' 2002-03 Recruiting Class
Minnesota announced the signing of three Minnesotans - Winnebago's Shannon Schonrock, Marshall's Shannon Bolden and Eden Prairie's Christina Collison - to National Letters of Intent, during the early signing period in November. The trio will begin their Golden Gopher careers in the 2002-03 season.
Schonrock, a 5-6 point guard, is the most highly touted Golden Gopher recruit in recent memory. The senior at Blue Earth Area High School is ranked No. 37 among the top 100 seniors by the Women's Basketball Journal publication.
Schonrock led the state of Minnesota in scoring as a junior, averaging 27.2 points per game. She earned first-team Associated Press All-State honors in 2000-01, after capturing second-team all-state accord as a sophomore. Schonrock has played varsity basketball since eighth grade, earning All-South Central Conference honors each season. Schonrock enters her final season at Blue Earth Area with 1,968 career points.
Bolden, from Marshall High School, is a versatile 5-11 player who can play either on the perimeter or at the post. Bolden was named the AP Co-Player of the Year for Minnesota Class AA, after leading her Tiger squad to the state title. The first-team all-state pick averaged 21 points and 8 rebounds a game as a junior and enters her senior season with 1,493 career points. She earned AAU All-American honors over the summer.
Collison, a 6-2 post player from Eden Prairie High School, completes the Golden Gophers' first recruiting class under Oldfield. A two-time All-Lake Conference first-team selection, Collison averaged 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as a junior. Golden Gophers' Dream Season Ends in NCAA Second Round
The 2001-02 Golden Gopher women's basketball season will long go down as the season of the big turnaround. Minnesota garnered a turnaround that was the best ever in the Big Ten Conference and ranked as one of the best in the nation this season. The Gophers finished the season with a 22-8 overall record, a national ranking and just the second trip to the NCAA Tournament in the school's women's basketball history. Minnesota contended for the Big Ten title until the very last week of the season and placed in a tie for second-place with an 11-5 record. Minnesota completed the season ranked No. 18 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 21 in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Gophers Continues Streak of Top 20 Rankings
Minnesota held the No. 18 in the Associated Press Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll released March 11, continuing a streak of eight weeks among the top 25. The Gophers have earned as high as a No. 14 ranking this season, which was the highest in school history. Minnesota finished the season ranked No. 21 in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll, dated April 1.
Minnesota was the Best NCAA Tourney Turnaround Story
Of the 64 teams selected to compete in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, eight schools can lay claim to turnaround success stories. Minnesota, however, owned the best one-year turnaround story in this year's tourney field, having gone from an 8-20 overall record in 2000-01 to 22-8 this season. Listed are the eight schools that competed in the 2002 NCAA Tournament that posted losing records in 2000-01 and turned it around to make the "Big Dance" in 2001-02:
School 2001-02 Record 2000-01 Final +Wins Minnesota 22-8 8-20 +14 Kansas State 26-8 12-16 +14 South Carolina 25-7 11-17 +14 St. Francis (Pa.) 19-12 9-18 +10 Harvard 22-6 12-15 +10 Weber State 22-9 12-15 +10 Norfolk State 22-9 13-15 +9 Syracuse 18-13 12-15 +6 Gophers Have Winning Record Against NCAA Teams
The Golden Gophers played 14 games this season against teams that competed in the NCAA field, garnering an 8-6 record. Teams Minnesota faced and the record against those teams this season: Purdue (1-1), Penn State (0-1), Wisconsin (2-1), Iowa (1-0), Indiana (1-1), Stanford (0-1), Weber State (1-0), Santa Clara (1-0), UNLV (1-0) and North Carolina (0-1).
A Bright Future for the Gophers
The Golden Gophers say farewell to two seniors from the 2001-02 squad, center Kim Bell (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) and guard Jenny MacKay (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids). The future is very bright for a talented groups of Gophers next season.
Minnesota will return its entire starting lineup and 98.6 percent of its scoring punch and 98.1 percent of its rebounding from the 2001- 02 season.
Whalen Named to AP All-America Third Team
Sophomore guard Lindsay Whalen (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) was selected to the Associated Press All-America third team. Whalen became just the sixth Minnesota women's basketball player to earn All-America honors.
Whalen, the 2002 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, averaged 22.2 points per game for the Golden Gophers. She is known not only for her scoring prowess but for her all-around game in which she also contributed 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals an outing.
A 5-8 point guard, Whalen is the first Gopher to garner All- America honors since former Minnesota great Carol Ann Shudlick captured first-team Kodak All-America and Wade Trophy honors in 1994. That was also the last and only season until 2001-02 that Minnesota earned an NCAA Tournament berth.
A total of four Big Ten players were accorded All-America acclaim. Joining Whalen were Penn State's Kelly Mazzante (second team), Purdue's Shereka Wright (third team) and Wisconsin's Jessie Stomski (honorable mention).
Whalen was also honored as a U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-American and as a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American. 2002 Associated Press All-America Teams
Gophers Set History with Big Ten Sweep
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team set Big Ten Conference history, when the Golden Gophers swept the league's player, freshman and coach of the year awards, on Feb. 27. Sophomore Lindsay Whalen was selected as the Big Ten Player of the Year, Janel McCarville (Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) was tabbed the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Brenda Oldfield was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year. The trio were selected to these honors in both Big Ten head coaches and media balloting.
Whalen, a 5-8 point guard joins Ohio State's Tracey Hall (1986) and Minnesota's Laura Coenen (1983) as the only sophomores to earn the Big Ten's top honor. Whalen led the Big Ten's most potent offense by averaging 22.2 points per game and by shooting a 56.1 field goal percentage. There is much more to Whalen, however, than being just a scoring threat. The first player to earn Big Ten Player of the Week honors five times in a single season, Whalen ranked among the Big Ten leaders in assists (5.3, third), steals (2.7, fourth) and rebounding by guards (5.5, first). She adds her unanimous first-team All-Big Ten accolades to the honorable mention award she earned her rookie season.
Whalen is the third Minnesota player to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors, joining Coenen (the first Big Ten Player of the Year in 1983) and Carol Ann Shudlick (1994).
McCarville is the first Golden Gopher to be selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. A 6-2 center, McCarville is also a second- team All-Big Ten honoree. The Gophers' second-leading scorer at 13.0 points per game, and top rebounder at 8.0 boards an outing, McCarville made the paint her home in her rookie season. Of her six double-doubles this season, five came in Big Ten play. In conference games only, McCarville was ranked 14th in scoring average (15.1 ppg.), second in field goal percentage (.591), third in rebounding 8.2 rpg.) and tenth in blocked shots (1.00 bpg.).
Whalen Hits 1,000 in Record Fashion
Sophomore Lindsay Whalen needed just 51 games to become the fastest Golden Gopher to collect 1,000 career points. Whalen currently has 1,092 points. She surpassed the milestone on a break-away lay-up in the second half of the win over Wisconsin (Feb. 21).
22 Wins Best in NCAA Era
Minnesota's 22 wins this season sets a new school record for total wins in the NCAA era. Overall, the school record for wins in a season is 28, prior to the NCAA, when Minnesota was 28-7 in 1980-81.
The Best Big Ten Finish Ever
The Golden Gophers' second-place tie in the Big Ten standings this season marks the highest conference placing in school history. Prior to this season, the best Minnesota had ever placed in the 20-year history of the Big Ten was third in 1982-83 (the first year of the conference) and 1984-85.
Whalen A Nominee for Point Guard of the Year Honors
Lindsay Whalen has been selected as one of 11 nominees for the Conseco Nancy Lieberman Step Up Award, honoring the nation's top collegiate point guard in NCAA Division I women's basketball. The award is presented by the Rotary Club of Detroit.
Whalen is among a talented group of nominees: Alana Beard (Duke), Sue Bird (Connecticut), Stacey Dales (Oklahoma), Sheila Lambert (Baylor), Kara Lawson (Tennessee), Brandi McCain (Florida), Ashley McElhiney (Vanderbilt), Tamara Moore (Wisconsin), Sara Nord (Louisville) and Lindsey Wilson (Iowa State).
The award will be presented at a noon luncheon at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center on April 20, 2002.
The criteria for the award is the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that personify Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman during her career. The Associated Press sportswriters from across the country will determine the finalists and eventual winner.
Excelling in the Classroom as Well
Sophomore Lindsay Whalen was named to the Verizon Academic All-District V Second Team. Whalen owns a 3.42 grade point average while majoring in sports management.
Whalen was joined by three other starters - Kadidja Andersson, Lindsay Lieser and < a href="../wbasket/player.asp?player_id=1294">Corrin Von Wald - as Golden Gophers honored as Academic All-Big Ten performers.
A New Tradition Starts Here
Winning 11 Big Ten games this season has a touch of special significance considering the Gophers had won a total of eight Big Ten games over the last six years (1995-96 to 2000-01) while posting an 8- 88 record. The 11 conference wins is the most ever by Minnesota during a 16-game Big Ten schedule.
Enjoying Their Winning Ways
Minnesota enjoyed its first winning campaign since 1993-94. The Gophers have posted just five winning seasons in the last 20 years making up the NCAA era: 20-7 in 1982-93, 18-10 in 1984-85, 18-11 in 1993-94, 14- 12 in 1992-93 and 22-8 in the 2001-02 season. The Gophers made NCAA Tournament appearance in the 1993-94 and 2001-02 seasons.
Gophers Set Big Ten Record for the Best Turnaround
The Golden Gophers won 10 more games in Big Ten play than they did a year ago, setting a conference record for the best one-year turnaround in Big Ten history.
Best Big Ten Turnaround Seasons - School-by-school School Turnaround Record/Year Record/Year Minnesota 10 1-15 / 2000-01 11-5 / 2001-02 Iowa 9 2-16 / 1992-93 11-7 / 1993-94 9 6-10 / 1994-95 15-1 / 1995-96 Northwestern 9 6-12 / 1988-89 15-3 / 1989-90 Purdue 8 8-10 / 1992-93 16-2 / 1933-94 Ohio State 7 9-9 / 1991-92 16-2 / 1992-93 Michigan 7 1-17 / 1984-85 8-10 / 1985/86 Wisconsin 7 7-11 / 1990-91 13-5 / 1991-92 Michigan State 6 7-11 / 1989-90 13-5 / 1990-91 Illinois 6 6-10 / 1995-96 12-4 / 1996-97 Indiana 5 5-13 / 1992-93 10-8 / 1993-94 Penn State 4 8-8 / 1997-98 12-4 / 1998-99 Can You Comprehend the Cinderella Story?
By looking at regular season records since 1993-94 (the Gophers' last winning season and first NCAA appearance before this season), it's easy to prove why the Gophers' 2001-02 campaign was such a Cinderella story:
Year Overall Record Big Ten Big Ten Finish 2001-02 22-8 11-5 Tie - Second 2000-01 8-20 1-15 10th 1999-00 10-18 3-13 Tie - 10th 1998-99 7-20 2-14 Tie - 10th 1997-98 4-23 1-15 11th 1996-97 3-24 1-15 11th 1995-96 4-23 0-16 11th 1994-95 12-15 7-9 Tie - Seventh 1993-94 18-11 10-8 Tie - Fourth How About This for a 180-Degree Turn?
Minnesota was rated 18th in the final Collegiate Basketball News power ratings index (RPI) of the season, with Purdue (6) the only Big Ten school ranked ahead of the Gophers. The top team in the RPI rating was Tennessee, followed by Connecticut and Oklahoma. The other Big Ten teams in the top 50 are Penn State (20), Wisconsin (33), Iowa (35) and Michigan State (50).
Talk about a quantum leap, Minnesota ended the 2000-01 season with a RPI of 197. In 1999-00, the Gophers' RPI was 176.
The RPI (Rating Percentage Index) is a measure of strength of schedule and how a team does against that schedule. It does not consider things like margin of victory or where a game is played, only whether or not a team won. It is used by the NCAA as one of their factors in deciding which teams to invite to the NCAA tournament and where to seed them.
Williams Arena Magic
The Golden Gophers were forced to move to Williams Arena after the Sports Pavilion floor was damaged on Jan. 19, when a pipe burst and flooded the arena. After the move, Minnesota was 4-1 in Williams with an average attendance of 8,828 per game.
Gopher Turnaround One of the Best in the Country
Minnesota experienced one of the best one-year turnaround seasons in the nation, according to information collected by Eric Goodwin, the Big Ten Conference Assistant Director of Communications and women's basketball contact. The list was compiled using a comparison of last season's final winning percentage to the team's current winning percentage in 2001-02.
School 2001-02 Record 2000-01 Final Diff. Valparaiso 24-7 .774 7-22 .241 +.533 Minnesota 22-8 .733 8-20 .286 +.447 South Carolina 25-7 .781 11-17 .393 +.388 Harvard 22-6 .786 12-15 .444 .342 Kansas State 26-8 .765 12-16 .429 +.336 Whalen Second on Single-Season Assist List
Lindsay Whalen notched her 100th assist of the season in the game at Ohio State and tallied 159 on the season. She became the 12th player in Minnesota history (NCAA era) to surpass 100 assists in a single season.
The top five single-season assist marks in Gopher history were recorded by players who also scored in double figures. Here is where Whalen stacks up among the best playmakers in Minnesota history:
Single-season Assist Leaders Assists (APG) PPG 1. Debbie Hunter (1982-83) 174 (6.4) 17.7 2. Lindsay Whalen (2001-02) 159 (5.3) 22.2 3. Lea Blackwell (1988-89) 136 (5.2) 13.9 4. Erin Olson (1999-00) 131 (4.7) 11.4 5. Debbie Hunter (1981-82) 129 (4.6) 10.8 Whalen Third on Single-Season Scoring List
Lindsay Whalen ranked third on the Minnesota single-season scoring list with 667 points this season.
Single-season Scoring Leaders Points PPG 1. Laura Coenen (1984-85) 708 25.3 2. Carol Ann Shudlick (1993-94) 678 23.4 3. Lindsay Whalen (2001-02) 667 22.2 McCarville's Rookie Season Among Gopher Greats
For the second year in a row, Minnesota has a rookie come in to post one of the best first-year performances in school history. In 2000-01, it was Lindsay Whalen</ a>, who scored 425 points in 25 games to rank fourth in rookie scoring. This season, Janel McCarville finished with one of the top scoring totals for a first-year Gopher in school history.
All-Americans Shudlick and Coenen completed stellar Minnesota careers as the only Gophers to score over 2,000 points, scoring 2,097 and 2,044, respectively.
First-year Gopher Scoring 1. Linda Roberts (1977-78) 475 points 33 games 14.4 ppg. 2. Laura Coenen (1981-82) 456 points 28 games 16.3 ppg. 3. Laura Gardner (1978-79) 453 points 32 games 14.1 ppg. 4. Lindsay Whalen (2000-01) 425 points 25 games 17.0 ppg. 5. Janel McCarville</ a> (2001-02) 391 points 30 games 13.0 ppg. 6. Molly Tadich (1983-84) 305 points 27 games 11.3 ppg. 7. Carol Ann Shudlick (1990-91) 285 points 24 games 11.9 ppg. Finding Her Way to the Charity Stripe
One of Lindsay Whalen</ a>'s strengths is getting to the free throw line. This season, the Gopher point guard visited the stripe 191 times, the most by any guard in Minnesota history. That is an average of over six trips to the free throw line per game. She has converted 147 free throws for 77.0 percent on the season.
The Word on Andersson - Steady
Kadidja Andersson (Stockholm, Sweden) was one of the most consistent players on the Gophers' roster this season. Her overall and Big Ten statistics are quite similar. The 5-11 sophomore finished fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 10.5 points per game. She scored in double figures in 20 of 30 games. Andersson also pulled down 4.8 rebounds an outing and ranked third on the team in assists with 62.
The Whalen Factor
Lindsay Whalen earned league player of the year honors with an all- around game that has fueled the Gophers' dream season. Here's a look at how she ranked in the Big Ten statistical categories. Lindsay Whalen in the Big Ten stats:
Scoring Second 22.0 ppg. Rebounding by Guards First 5.5 rpg. Assists Third 5.3 apg. Steals Third 2.7 spg. Field Goal Percentage Fifth 56.1% Assist/Turnover Ratio Ninth 1.21 Von Wald Quietly Put Up Impressive Numbers
Guard/forward Corrin Von Wald (Hudson, Wis.) had a pretty good stat line of her own in her first season playing for the Gophers. Von Wald, a junior who transferred to Minnesota from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, averaged 12.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.4 assists per game.
Balance, Balance and More Balance
Minnesota had five players score in double figures in the win over Iowa (Feb. 3). This is not an unusual occurrence for the Gophers. In fact this season, five Gophers have hit double digits in six games. Minnesota has had four players score in double figures in 18 games this season.
Here's an Indicator of Success
Minnesota made nearly as many free throws (484) as their opponents attempted (491). In the Gophers' Big Ten games this season, that stat stood at 264 free throws made by Minnesota, 251 attempted by league opposition. The Gophers shot 73.2 percent from the line this season.
McCarville Thrived on Big Ten Competition
Gopher rookie Janel McCarville averaged 15.0 points per game against Big Ten competition this season, to rank 14th in the conference. She ranked third in rebounding, pulling down 8.2 boards per game, to become the only first-year player to rank among the conference's top 15 in scoring and rebounding. In her first Big Ten season, McCarville shot 59.1 percent from the field to rank second in the Big Ten.
McCarville posted five double-doubles in the Big Ten season with 23 points and 11 rebounds against Illinois (Jan. 3), 18 points and 13 rebounds versus Purdue (Jan. 10), 22 points and 10 rebounds in the second meeting with Illinois (Jan. 31), 14 points and 15 rebounds in the second meeting with Ohio State (Feb. 7) and 20 points and 10 rebounds versus Wisconsin (Feb. 21).
Her seven total double-doubles on the season ranked sixth in the Big Ten, but tops the list for first-year players.
A Key Stat for Some More W's
A key stat leading to the Gophers' 22-8 record is field goal percentage, where the Gophers as a team shot 49.3 percent. The Gophers maintained above a 50 percent field goal percentage for all but three games of the season. Minnesota led the Big Ten in this statistical category and ranked fourth nationally.
2001-02 Tops During NCAA Era
With 22 wins this season, the Gophers enjoyed success that hasn't come around often in Minnesota basketball history during the NCAA era.
Year Wins Final Record 2001-02 22 22-8 1982-83 20 20-7 1984-85 18 18-10 1993-94 18 18-11 1992-93 14 14-12 1983-84 12 12-15 1994-95 12 12-15 1999-00 10 10-18 Gophers Win Record Six Straight Home Big Ten Games
Minnesota's wins over Michigan on Jan. 17, Illinois on Jan. 3, Indiana on Jan. 27, Ohio State on Feb. 7, Purdue on Feb. 14 and Wisconsin on Feb. 21 marked the first six-game home Big Ten winning streak for the Gophers. A loss to Michigan State on Feb. 24, ended the streak. Minnesota was 11-2 at home in 2001-02.
A Pretty Smart Group of Starters
Three of the five Gopher starters (Lindsay Lieser, Corrin Von Wald, Lindsay Whalen) were nominated for Verizon CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. To be eligible for this prestigious award, players must have a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and be at least a sophomore. The award, recognizing the best student-athletes in the nation, is voted on by the nation's sports information directors.
Prince Played a Major Role Off the Bench
Junior center Kim Prince (Montgomery, Ala./Carver) started 23 games in her sophomore season but came off the bench this year to contribute major minutes in the post. Prince contributed 20.9 minutes a game, averaging 7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Describe This Defense as Opportunistic
Sure Minnesota scored in bunches this season, but in several instances the Gophers' defense led to golden opportunities on the offensive end of the court. Minnesota ranked fourth in the Big Ten in steals per game, averaging 10.5 steals per game. The Gophers collected 316 steals in 30 games, up considerably from a year ago, when they had 189 in 28 games.
Winning Streak Best in 21 Years
Minnesota had its seven-game winning streak, the longest winning streak since a 12-game streak in the 1980-81 season, broken with an 88-83 loss to No. 24 Penn State on Dec. 28. Only three current Gophers (Kim Bell, Ozlem Piroglu, Kadidja Andersson) had been born when that streak in 1980-81 occurred.
Road Winning Streak Goes Back 21 Years as Well
The Gophers won six consecutive road games, from Nov. 24 to Jan. 7, a streak that was ended by Purdue on Jan. 10. Minnesota last won six consecutive road games in 1980-81, when the Gophers won seven consecutive. The record is 10 straight road wins in 1977-78, before the NCAA era.
Lighting Up the Scoreboard
Minnesota averaged 79.7 points per game this season, an average that led the Big Ten Conference. The Gophers scored 80 or more points in 15 of 30 games, posted 90 or more points seven times and a season-high of 114 points in the season opener versus Butler. The 114 points against Butler was the highest scoring game in the Big Ten this season.
Hemberg Earned More Court Time with Inspired Play
Sophomore Ebba Hemberg</ a> (Stockholm, Sweden) provided a spark off the bench at point guard this season. Hemberg, one of the best defensive players on the Gopher roster, averaged 12.2 minutes a game compared to a total of 57 minutes of action during her entire rookie season. As the Gophers' reserve point guard, Hemberg did an excellent job of stepping into the lineup and taking care of the basketball. She posted close to a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio with 60 assists and 37 turnovers this season.
The Brooms Came Out of Storage
Minnesota's 79-76 overtime victory over Illinois gave the Gophers their first season sweep of a Big Ten opponent since sweeping Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin during the 1993-94 season. It was also the first sweep of Illinois since the 1984-85 season.
Minnesota also swept Wisconsin this season, marking the first time since 1993-94 that the Gophers won both meetings with the Badgers in a season.
NCAA Suspended Piroglu Indefinitely
In an ongoing investigation into European women's basketball leagues, the NCAA has advised that guard Ozlem Piroglu (Ankara, Turkey) is among a handful of Turkish athletes playing basketball in the United States to be penalized for violations of NCAA rules regarding amateur status.
Piroglu was forced to sit out an unspecified number of games on the Gopher schedule, a stretch that started Jan. 31 at Illinois. She had hoped to regain her eligibility in time to join her Golden Gopher teammates for the Big Ten Conference Tournament, but has not yet received clearance from the NCAA to resume action.
Piroglu started 20 games for the Gophers in the 2000-01 season before tearing an ACL in her right knee and missing the last four games of her sophomore season. She missed early action this season after she had her left knee scoped and returned to the team in December. She played in nine games this season, averaging 1.6 points and 2.2 assists per game.
Lieser Owns Minnesota Career Trifecta Record
Junior guard Lindsay Lieser broke the Minnesota career three-point field goal record in the Dayton game (12/1) and now has 190 treys in her Gopher career. The former record was held by Shannon Loeblein, who set the record with 133 treys from 1992-95. Lieser shoots 86 percent of her field attempts from behind the arc. This season, she drained 73 treys in 179 attempts for a 40.8 percent three-point field goal percentage.
Gophers Seventh in the Nation in Scoring Average
A high-energy and exciting offense propelled the Gophers to the leading scoring average in the Big Ten Conference at 79.7 points per game, an average that ranked seventh in the nation behind Connecticut (87.0), Duke (83.5), Eastern Kentucky (80.9), Stanford (80.3), North Carolina (79.9) and Tennessee (79.9).
A major reason the Gophers' scoring average skyrocketed from the 67.9 points per game they averaged a year ago is field goal percentage. Minnesota is fourth in the nation converting 49.3 percent of their field goal attempts. Only Vanderbilt (52.1), Connecticut (52.0) and Kansas State (49.4) had better percentages. Not all of the Gophers' field goal attempts are lay-ups either. Minnesota ranked 17th in three- point field goal percentage at 37.6 percent.
NCAA Statistics (Final) Team Scoring Average 79.7 Seventh Field Goal Pct. 49.3 Fourth 3-Pt. FG Pct. 37.6 17th Lindsay Whalen Scoring Average 22.2 Eighth Field Goal Pct. 56.1 29th FG Pct. by Guards 56.1 Second Steals 2.7 t50th Lindsay Lieser 3-Pt. FG Pct. 40.8 23rd 3-Pt FG Per Game 2.4 t40th Rookie So Very Close to Nation's Best List
First-year center Janel McCarville topped the Gophers by converting 58.0 percent of her field goal attempts. The dominating rookie would have ranked 15th in the nation in field goal percentage but was just 12 made field goals short of qualifying for the elite list. Players must average 5.0 field goals made per game. McCarville's 138 field goals checks in at 4.6 made per game.
All-Time Attendance Record Broken Again
After shattering the all-time Minnesota attendance record on Jan. 27, when 11,389 fans gathered in Williams Arena to watch a 75-60 victory over Indiana, a crowd of 12,142 reset the mark once again on Feb. 24 versus Michigan State.
Top Minnesota Attendance Figures All-Time Since 1975-76 season (*game played at Williams Arena) Attendance Date Opponent Result 1. 12,142 2-24-02 Michigan State L, 80-72* 2. 11,389 1-27-02 Indiana W, 75-60* 3. 8,639 2-14-02 Purdue W, 73-64* 4. 7,659 2-21-02 Wisconsin W, 76-74* 5. 6,746 1-24-93 Indiana W, 80-70* 6. 5,526 2-10-95 Illinois W, 92-46 7. 4,902 2-19-99 Purdue L, 63-61 8. 4,312 2-7-02 Ohio State W, 79-64* 9. 4,282 2-6-94 Northwestern W, 84-74 The Fans are Catching the Fever
Home attendance improved as much as the Gophers' record this season. Minnesota's home attendance improved by 301 percent up to 4,360 fans per game from 1,087 a year ago. In Big Ten contests, Minnesota's attendance improved from 1,201 fans per game to an average crowd of 6,371 this season. That is an increase of 530 percent.
Season Attendance Shadows Team's Turnaround
With the top four home crowds in the books, Minnesota easily posted its highest single-season attendance figure in 2001-02. Minnesota is ranked 19th in the nation in average attendance.
Year Total Attendance Games Average 2001-02 56,677 13 4,360 1994-95 27,428 13 2,110 1993-94 25,633 13 1,972 1992-93 24,745 13 1,903 1997-98 23,553 13 1,812 The Irony of the Move to Williams
Minnesota averaged an attendance of 8,828 in the five games the Gophers played in Williams Arena after the flood of Jan. 19 forced the move from the Sports Pavilion. If Minnesota were able to use that figure as its average attendance for the year, the Gophers would rank seventh in the nation.
Whalen Earns Fifth Big Ten Player of the Week Honor
Point guard Lindsay Whalen was named the Co-Big Ten Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Feb. 18, marking the first time in Big Ten Conference history a player has garnered the weekly honor five times in a single season. Whalen shares this week's honor with Purdue sophomore forward Shereka Wright.
Whalen jumps ahead of an impressive list of Big Ten stars who earned the award four times in a season. Players who earned the sward four times in a single season are: Kelly Mazzante (Penn State, 2001- 02), Anucha Browne (Northwestern, 1984-85), Nikita Lowry (Ohio State, 1987-88), Lisa Cline (Ohio State, 1988-89) and Jonelle Polk (Illinois, 1984-85). Browne, Lowry and Cline were later recognized as either the Big Ten Player of the Year or the Chicago Tribune Big Ten Most Valuable Player in the season they gathered four Big Ten weekly awards.
Whalen averaged 28.5 points per game as the No. 14 Golden Gophers defeated then-No. 7 Purdue but lost at Indiana in last week's action. Against Purdue, Whalen torched the nets for a career-high 41 points, the fifth 40-plus scoring game in Gopher history. She converted 15-of- 20 field goal attempts and added five assists to the victory. In the Indiana game, Whalen tallied 16 points and dished out five assists.
Fourth Big Ten Weekly Honor for Whalen
Sophomore point guard Lindsay Whalen was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 4, after leading the Gophers to a pair of important road wins. She is the first Minnesota player to earn the award four times in one season. Former Golden Gopher greats Carol Ann Shudlick (1992-93 and 1993-94) and Laura Coenen (1984-85) earned the Big Ten accolades three times in a single season. Whalen averaged 30.0 points per game in wins at Illinois and Iowa. Her career-high 34-point performance against the Hawkeyes tied for the 10th-best single-game outing in school history and was the third 30-plus game of her career. Whalen tallied 26 against Illinois, including scoring the Gophers' final nine points in the overtime period. She also averaged 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals in the two games.
Whalen Earns Third Big Ten Player of the Week Honor
Lindsay Whalen was named the
