University of Minnesota Athletics
WBB: Golden Gophers Host Indiana on Sunday
12/31/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
- Click Here for Golden Gopher Women's Basketball Notes
12/12 MINNESOTA GOPHERS (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
vs.
Indiana Hoosiers (7-4, 0-1 Big Ten)
LOCATION Minneapolis, Minn. - Williams Arena (14,625)
DATE / TIME: Sunday, Jan. 2 / 2 p.m.
TELEVISION: None
RADIO / WEBCAST: WFMP 107.1 FM / gophersports.com Tom Witschen (play-by-play), Lynnette Sjoquist (analyst)
Golden Gopher Watch List - Jan. 2, 2005
Big Ten Continues Play - Minnesota plays its second Big Ten Conference game of the season on Sunday, when the Gophers host Indiana. The Gophers opened their Big Ten season with a win over Northwestern on Thursday, while Indiana was defeated at Iowa. Minnesota will take to the highway next week for the Gophers' first conference road game at Wisconsin on Thursday, Jan. 6.
Honoring a Minnesota Favorite - Former Gopher Lindsay Whalen's No. 13 jersey will be retired during a pregame ceremony of Minnesota's Jan. 2 game versus Indiana. A celebration dinner will follow the game with the proceeds going to the Lindsay Whalen Endowed Scholarship.
McCarville Closing in on Career Double - All-American Janel McCarville is aiming toward becoming the first Golden Gopher in 17 seasons and fourth overall to collect 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. McCarville is far beyond the 1,000 career points plateau and needs 20 rebounds to accomplish the honored double-double.
Climbing the Ranks - Minnesota is ranked No. 13 in this week's Associated Press national poll, the highest the ranking the Gophers have achieved this season.
Applebee's Sunday Ticket Pack, Jan. 2 - 4 general admission tickets, 4 Cokes (16 oz.), 4 boxes of candy, and a $10 Applebee's gift certificate. All for only $40.00.
BIG TEN PLAY CONTINUES
No. 12/12 Minnesota plays host to Indiana on Sunday as the Golden Gophers play their second consecutive game of the Big Ten season at home. The Gophers opened their conference slate with a 62-44 victory over Northwestern on Thursday and own a record of 10-2 overall (1-0 Big Ten). Indiana is 7-4 (0-1 Big Ten) after dropping its conference opener 62-51 at Iowa.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR JAN. 2
Golden Gopher fans will want to circle the date of Jan. 2 on their 2005 calendars. On that special Sunday afternoon, former Gopher great Lindsay Whalen will be honored with the retirement of her No.13 jersey in a pregame ceremony before Minnesota game versus Indiana.
FOCUSING ON BASKETBALL
The Golden Gophers will play a total of seven games before returning to class for the second semester on Jan. 18. Minnesota defeated Drake on Dec. 23, the day after first semester final exam concluded, then defeated Northwestern to conclude the 2004 calendar year. Four of the upcoming games over winter break are conference games, while the Gophers will host New Mexico on Jan. 9 in their final non-conference game of the season.
BORTON 3-0 IN BIG TEN OPENERS
Minnesota's 62-44 win over Northwestern to open the Big Ten season improves head coach Pam Borton's mark to a perfect 3-0 in conference openers. The Gophers' three consecutive league-opening wins under Borton is especially impressive since over Minnesota is 9-14 all-time in the first games of the Big Ten season.
EARLY SEASON SUCCESS
Early-season wins may not be as important as late-season victories but the Golden Gophers under the direction of head coach Pam Borton have done an excellent job of setting the table, so to speak, in the months of November and December. With the book now closed on the 2004 portion of the season, the Gophers own a record of 31-2 in the 11th and 12th months of the year during the Borton era.
CHASING A MAJOR DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Golden Gophers senior Janel McCarville is closing in on a career double-double of points and rebounds. McCarville has long since surpassed the 1,000-point milestone and is 20 rebounds from collecting her 1,000th career board. This honored double-double has been accomplished just three times in Golden Gopher history, the last coming 17 years ago.
Player Points Rebounds
Linda Roberts (1977-81) 1,856 1,413 Laura Coenen (1981-85 2,044 1,029 Molly Tadich (1983-87) 1,706 1,135 Janel McCarville (2001-c) 1,486 980
GAME COULD BE / SHOULD BE DEFENSIVE
Two of the Big Ten coaches who love a defensive philosophy the most in Minnesota's Pam Borton and Indiana's Kathi Bennett, square-off on Sunday. The Hoosiers' defense has allowed a Big Ten-leading 50.7 points per game, while the Gophers are third at 55.1.
TESTING THE OFFENSES' PATIENCE
It's a good bet that the Indiana/Minnesota game will be a defensive battle and whose outcome could very well be determined by which offense controls the game's tempo and is able to be patient in the half court. The Gophers follow their potent frontcourt to the battlefield, led obviously by All-American Janel McCarville. The Hoosiers, who despite the Big Ten's leading defense also sport the league's lowest ranked offense, get their offensive punch from the backcourt and guard Cyndi Valentin. Two solid defensive teams with two different philosophies on offense. Each possession will be important with turnovers even more costly.
McCARVILLE THE BIG TEN PRESEASON PICK
Janel McCarville was named the Preseason Big Ten Conference Player of the Year by both the conference coaches and media. McCarville, a 2004 All-American and Final Four All-Tournament Team member, is a leading candidate for national player of the year honors as well, previously being named a Wooden Preseason All-American and to the Wade Trophy Watch List.
"This is a great honor for Janel, but it is a preseason honor." Minnesota head coach Pam Borton said. "We expect big things from her this season and we hope that at season's end she has earned Big Ten Player of the Year award."
McCarville was joined on the coaches' preseason All-Big Ten Team by Michigan State's Lindsay Bowen, Ohio State's Jessica Davenport, Purdue's Katie Gearlds and Penn State's Tanisha Wright. The media preseason All-Big Ten team consisted of McCarville, Davenport, Gearlds, Wright and Indiana's Jenny DeMuth.
GOPHERS PICKED TO FINISH THIRD
Minnesota was selected to finish third in the Big Ten in a preseason poll of the conference coaches, following Ohio State and Michigan State. The media choose Purdue as the preseason favorite, followed by Ohio State and Penn State. Last season, the Gophers finished with an overall record of 25-9, 9-7 and sixth in the Big Ten.
DEFENSE ON A RECORD PACE
The Golden Gophers' defense is on a record pace. Yes, it is early in the season but the challenge to lower the school record for defensive average (average points allowed) has been accepted by this year's squad. The standard to shoot for in 59.7 points per game set a year ago. After 12 games this season, the Gophers are allowing an average of 55.1 points per game.
GOPHERS RANKED NO. 12/12 IN POLLS
The Golden Gophers moved up one spot to No. 12 in this week's Associated Press poll. The ranking is the Gophers' season high in the AP poll. In the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, Minnesota remained No. 12 for the second week. LSU holds down the unanimous No. 1 spot in both polls for the fourth straight week.
MINNESOTA HITS WEEK 53 IN AP POLL
Minnesota has been ranked in the AP National Poll's top 25 for the last 53 polls, dating back to Jan. 21, 2002, and is building upon the longest streak in Golden Gopher history. The Gophers spent a record stretch of eight weeks in the AP's top 10 from Dec. 1 - Jan. 12, nine weeks in the ESPN/USA Today poll (Nov. 24-Jan. 19) during the 2003-04 season.
MULTI-FACETED GOPHER OFFENSE A THREAT INSIDE AND OUT
The Golden Gophers' starting frontcourt of Janel McCarville (16.3 ppg.) and Jamie Broback (15.4 ppg.) combine to average over 31 points per game. The adept play of the Minnesota post players helps open up the play for the perimeter players and the Gophers have taken advantage by shooting an impressive 40.6 percent from three-point range as a team. Shannon Schonrock is second in the Big Ten with 2.25 treys made per game. Schonrock has attempted 66 triples on the season hitting on a 40.9 percent efficiency. Fellow backcourt starters April Calhoun and Shannon Bolden haven't attempted as many threes but are converting on exceptional percentages when they do. Bolden checks in at 52.9 percent from behind the arc, making 9-of-17 attempts. Calhoun has made 5-of-9 for 55.6 percent.
McCARVILLE THE ALL-AROUND PLAYER
If Janel McCarville's early-season statistics mean anything, the Big Ten coaches were right on when they selected the Gopher senior as the Big Ten's top player heading into the 2004-05 season. McCarville ranks among the top eight in every major Big Ten individual statistical category heading into the conference campaign. McCarville is first in rebounding (10.1), second in blocks (2.40), fourth in steals (2.60) and assists (4.20), and ninth in scoring (16.3).
SAY IT WITH ME...SCHONY FOR THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...
Minnesota's point guard Shannon Schonrock has started 56 games in her Golden Gopher career, including the last 51 straight. Schonrock has hit at least one three-point field goal in 51 of the games she has started and in every game of the 2004-05 season. She has hit three or more trifectas 17 times in her career.
