University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Illinois
WBB: Gophers Defeat Illinois 80-68
1/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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The final score did not reflect the extent No. 12/13 Minnesota dominated Illinois at Williams Arena on Sunday. The Golden Gophers posted an 80-68 victory that was a lop-sided contest until Minnesota head coach Pam Borton emptied her bench with nearly five minutes remaining. Illinois' starters went on a 19-0 run against the Gopher reserves to make the final score look much closer than the game really was. Minnesota improved to 16-3 overall adn 6-1 in Big Ten.
"We played pretty much flawless basketball for the first 34 minutes of the game," said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. "I was very pleased with the play our top eight or nine players. The tempo of the game was to our liking."
The teams exchanged baskets early in the contest. Janel McCarville scored seven points on a variety of post moves as well as a dash down the court leading the Gopher fast break. Still, Illinois stuck with the Gophers and took a 12-11 lead on a jumper by Tiffanie Guthrie at the 14:12 mark.
Then Kelly Roysland entered the game. She hit her first shot, a three-pointer, to give the Gophers the lead for good. She also hit her next five shots in the first half as Minnesota outscored Illinois by a 32-12 margin to take a commanding 43-24 lead at halftime.
The Gophers continued their effective offensive game in the second half, making 10 of their first 16 shots after halftime to build a 40-point lead at 70-40 with 8:09 remaining. Minnesota matched their biggest lead of the game three times in the ensuing minutes, the last on a lay-in by Christina Collison at the 4:18 mark. It would turn out to be the Gophers' final points of the game.
Illinois' leading scorers Angelina Williams and Guthrie feasted on the Gopher reserves scoring 10 and eight points, respectively, in the 19-0 run to close the game. Guthrie finished with 28 points, while Williams tallied 24. Only four Illinois players scored.
Roysland went 8-for 10 from the field and finished with a career-high 19 points to lead four Golden Gopher scorers in double figures. McCarville played only 24 minutes, yet scored 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Jamie Broback and Shannon Schonrock added 12 points apiece. April Calhoun dished out a season-high seven assists.
Minnesota is off until next Sunday, Jan. 30, when the Golden Gophers travel to State College, Pa., to face the Big Ten-leading Penn State Lady Lions.
Quotes
Minnesota head coach Pam Borton
"I was very pleased with today's performance and the way that our top eight players were aggressive and kept an up-beat tempo. We played extremely well because we were aggressive and flawless in 34 minutes of play. We kept the tempo up which helped us in our best offensive performance of the season. We were very aggressive inside and our post players did a good job of opening up the perimeter for our guards."
On the play of guard Kelly Roysland.
"Today Kelly helped make us a team that was impossible to defend. Anytime that you have a bench player who can come in and give a performance like she did, that is an added bonus to a team. Kelly's performance is what we need from our bench players on the road next week at Penn State and later in the season."
Minnesota guard Kelly Roysland
"It was great to get some open looks and open shots today. The last couple of games I have not had the shots that I wanted to take, but I got some great passes from my teammates and was able to take some great shots. It helps to get off to a great start. It was a fun game, the tempo was great and it helped boost my confidence.
Minnesota center Janel McCarville
"Coach told me to start taking open shots early on and to keep going to the basket. I just need to be strong with the basketball and continue to help make things happen. The starting five a establishing a good feel for each of our tendencies and the way we play the game. I expected the pass from April (Calhoun), but I didn't know when or how it was coming to me. She was able to find me with a behind-the-back pass, that was Whalen-like, and I was able to score."
On the play of Kelly Roysland.
"Like coach said, having a player like Kelly come off the bench and be the leading scorer, helps the whole team out and makes us an impossible team to defend. She had the kind of spark that we need every game and she really stepped up today for us offensively."
Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz
"Minnesota is a very, very fine team. They can do what they want pretty much and we have to be able to defend them, we have to be able to score and it was tough out there. I have to be honest with you."
On Minnesota's defense.
"The pressure bothers us. I thought when we opened the game there were opportunities. We missed lay-ups. There was a break there where we missed opportunities. We are tight and we know it. We struggle and it seems to get worse."
On Illinois' guard Angelina Williams.
"When Angelina (Williams) was scoring I don't think the first was in there for Minnesota so I'm not going to get too excited about her scoring. If she is not going to step up when she's called on that's her problem."
On Minnesota's guard Kelly Roysland.
"She's made five threes all year and she turns around and makes two in the first half. I think we need to a better job of listening to the scout. Trust me because we new what she could do and what she needed to do. We knew that Janel (McCarville) was going to get her points but at the same time we didn't want everyone else to go off."
Game Notes
Minnesota moves to 16-3 overall, 6-1 in Big Ten play, while Illinois falls to 11-6 overall, 3-4 in Big Ten action.
Minnesota had four players in double figures while Illinois had only four players score points in the game. Minnesota's players in double figures were: Kelly Roysland (19), Janel McCarville (16), Shannon Schonrock (12), and Jamie Broback (12)
Kelly Roysland's 19 points set a new career-high. She led the team in scoring for the first time in her career.
Kelly Roysland had only scored five three-pointers this season, but scored three against Illinois.
Roysland was a perfect 8-8 from the field until she missed her last two shots to finish 8-10 (.800) for the game.
April Calhoun's seven assists were a career-high.
Illinois' starters accounted for 60 of their 68 points in the game. Minnesota's starters scored 48 of the team's 80 points.
Minnesota's first half looked a lot like Illinois second half. The Gophers went 17-29 (.586) and scored 43 point in the first half. In the second half, Illinois went 17-29 (.586) and scored 44 points.
Tiffanie Guthrie and Angelina combined for 52 of Illinois' 68 points. More than half the points scored by the duo (29) were scored in the last 8:09 of the game.
Minnesota had its largest lead of the game (32 points), and was ahead 70-38 with 8:22 remaining in the game. Illinois then went on a 30-10 run to finish the game with just a 12-point deficit.
Minnesota had just 11 turnovers in the game, tying a season- low, while Illinois committed just 10 turnovers, its season low.
Attendance for the game was 10,033, and was Minnesota's second home crowd of the season over 10,000 (10,331 vs. Indiana).
