University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, January 4
Columbus, OH
University of Minnesota
62
at
75
Ohio State
Gophers Defeated at No. 7/8 Ohio State
1/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Despite four players finishing in double figures, Minnesota was defeated by No. 7/8 Ohio State, 75-62, at the Value City Arena in Columbus on Thursday. The Golden Gophers fall to 9-6 overall and 1-2 in Big Ten play.
Emily Fox led the Gophers with 17 points, but scored just three after halftime after tallying 14 in the first half. Brittany McCoy added 12 and Ashley Ellis-Milan and Leslie Knight contributed 10 points apiece. Ellis-Milan added 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.
All-American Jessica Davenport led all scorers with 22 points for Ohio State (12-1, 2-0), all but six coming in the second half. Guard Brandie Hoskins added 17.
“We came in here and competed well against the No. 7 team in the nation,” said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. “If it weren’t for that 11-0 stretch early in the second half, a few untimely turnovers and some missed lay-ups, it could have been a different ballgame. Still, I’m proud of how this team battled tonight.”
The Gophers followed their game plan perfectly in the first half, limiting Davenport’s touches and aggressively attacking on offense. The half featured five ties and five lead changes, the final one as Fox’s 16-foot jumper danced on the rim and fell through at the buzzer.
Defensively, Minnesota defended Davenport with two and sometimes three players taking the 6-5 center out of the offense. She took just two shots in the half, hit both, one within the offense and the other on the offensive glass.
Leslie Knight scored three-point plays on consecutive possessions to fuel the Gopher offense early in the second half. Her second old-fashioned triple at the 16:26 mark gave Minnesota a 39-38 lead, its final of the game.
Davenport scored on a short jumper on the next Buckeye possession to ignite an 11-0 run over the three and a half minutes and give Ohio State a 10-point advantage at 49-39. While Davenport scored six points and freshman guard Maria Moeller five, Minnesota missed two shots and suffered through a confidence-shaking four turnovers.
Kelly Roysland, who fouled out with seven points, halted the Buckeye run with a lay-up and a free throw by McCoy would close the Gophers to within seven, but a consistent Ohio State march to the free throw line hindered any forth comeback attempts. The Buckeyes shot 27 second-half free throws and built a lead as big as 19 points. Minnesota continued to play hard and chipped the deficit to 13 points as the game ended.
Ohio State finished with 39 trips to the free throw line, making 28. Minnesota was just 8-for-12. Knight and Roysland fouled out of the contest, while Fox and Korinne Campbell played with four fouls. Minnesota was whistled for 29 fouls to only 12 for Ohio State.
Minnesota returns home on Sunday to face Wisconsin in the “Burst The Barn” event. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
Emily Fox led the Gophers with 17 points, but scored just three after halftime after tallying 14 in the first half. Brittany McCoy added 12 and Ashley Ellis-Milan and Leslie Knight contributed 10 points apiece. Ellis-Milan added 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.
All-American Jessica Davenport led all scorers with 22 points for Ohio State (12-1, 2-0), all but six coming in the second half. Guard Brandie Hoskins added 17.
“We came in here and competed well against the No. 7 team in the nation,” said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. “If it weren’t for that 11-0 stretch early in the second half, a few untimely turnovers and some missed lay-ups, it could have been a different ballgame. Still, I’m proud of how this team battled tonight.”
The Gophers followed their game plan perfectly in the first half, limiting Davenport’s touches and aggressively attacking on offense. The half featured five ties and five lead changes, the final one as Fox’s 16-foot jumper danced on the rim and fell through at the buzzer.
Defensively, Minnesota defended Davenport with two and sometimes three players taking the 6-5 center out of the offense. She took just two shots in the half, hit both, one within the offense and the other on the offensive glass.
Leslie Knight scored three-point plays on consecutive possessions to fuel the Gopher offense early in the second half. Her second old-fashioned triple at the 16:26 mark gave Minnesota a 39-38 lead, its final of the game.
Davenport scored on a short jumper on the next Buckeye possession to ignite an 11-0 run over the three and a half minutes and give Ohio State a 10-point advantage at 49-39. While Davenport scored six points and freshman guard Maria Moeller five, Minnesota missed two shots and suffered through a confidence-shaking four turnovers.
Kelly Roysland, who fouled out with seven points, halted the Buckeye run with a lay-up and a free throw by McCoy would close the Gophers to within seven, but a consistent Ohio State march to the free throw line hindered any forth comeback attempts. The Buckeyes shot 27 second-half free throws and built a lead as big as 19 points. Minnesota continued to play hard and chipped the deficit to 13 points as the game ended.
Ohio State finished with 39 trips to the free throw line, making 28. Minnesota was just 8-for-12. Knight and Roysland fouled out of the contest, while Fox and Korinne Campbell played with four fouls. Minnesota was whistled for 29 fouls to only 12 for Ohio State.
Minnesota returns home on Sunday to face Wisconsin in the “Burst The Barn” event. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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