University of Minnesota Athletics
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Ohio State
WBB: No. 2 Ohio State Downs Golden Gophers, 65-53
2/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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No.2/3 Ohio State held on to first place in the Big Ten standings with a 65-53 victory over No. 14/14 Minnesota on Thursday in Columbus. The Golden Gophers, led by Janel McCarville's 22 points, fall to 19-6 overall and 9-4 in Big Ten play. Ohio State won its 14th straight game to improve to 25-2 and 12-1 in league action.
The game featured one of the best match-ups in the paint in the nation as All-American McCarville battled rising star sophomore Jessica Davenport. Davenport missed just four shot attempts in playing all 40 minutes to tally a game-high 35 points.
"Jessica Davenport was quite something tonight," said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. "Our guards played excellent defense on the perimeter but we didn't have an answer for Davenport."
Led by 14 first-half points, Minnesota played the Buckeyes toe-to-toe in the opening period. The Gophers held as big as a six-point lead in the first half and led 21-15 when the momentum swung Ohio State's direction. Minnesota turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions leading to seven points by the Buckeyes. Ohio State extended the run to 11-0 and never trailed from that point on.
Ohio State led by a 28-23 count at halftime and built another run early in the second half as Davenport connected on her first seven shots. The Buckeyes led 45-34 with 11:56 remaining when McCarville was whistled for her third foul and then a technical, sending her to the bench with four fouls.
The Gophers managed to outscore the Buckeyes by a 9-6 margin with McCarville on the bench for seven minutes, but Minnesota was unable to make a big run at the Ohio State lead. A three-pointer by Jamie Broback at the 7:26 mark cut Ohio State's margin to eight points but two Davenport free throws pushed the lead into double digits to stay.
April Calhoun joined McCarville in double digits with 12 points. The Gophers shot just 34.5 percent (19-55) as a team, but committed a season-low eight turnovers.
The Gophers return to Williams Arena on Sunday for their final home game of the season against Wisconsin at 1:30 p.m.
