University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Michigan State
WBB: Golden Gophers Defeated at Michigan State
1/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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No. 11/12 Minnesota suffered its first setback of the Big Ten season losing to No. 9/9 Michigan State, 62-49, in East Lansing, Mich. on Sunday. The Golden Gophers fall to 14-3 overall and 4-1 in conference play.
Janel McCarville was the only Gopher in double figures with 14 points. She added 15 rebounds for her 41st career double-double.
"We didn't play Minnesota defense in the second half," said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. "We went back to some bad habits that gave Michigan State some open looks and they hit the big shots."
Two of the top defensive squads in the Big Ten battled head-to-head in the first half. The Gophers made just 8 of 29 field goal attempts in the first half but trailed by only two points, 23-31, heading into halftime.
Michigan State (15-2, 4-1) opened the second half with an 8-2 run over the first five minutes. After Liz Podominick scored to bring the Gophers back to within six points, Spartan guard Lindsay Bowen took over the game and scored nine consecutive points, two three-pointers and a three-point play, to give the Spartans a double-digit lead they would not relinquish.
Minnesota's 49 points is a season low for the Gophers. Michigan State scored 39 points in the second half alone, more than both o the Gophers' two previous opponents (New Mexico and Purdue) scored in the entire game.
The Gophers committed a season-low 11 turnovers, but could not take advantage on the offensive end of the court, finishing with an anemic 32.8 field goal percentage.
Shannon Bolden's defense continued to be a bright spot of the Gophers. Bolden held Spartan playmaker Kristin Haynie scoreless on 0-4 from the floor.
McCarville added four block, four steals and three assists to the Gopher effort. Shannon Schonrock added nine points, all on three-point field goals. Kelly Roysland dished out a team-high four assists.
Minnesota returns home for two games next week, hosting Michigan on Thursday, Jan. 20, and Illinois on Sunday, Jan. 23.
