University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Host Indiana at 12 Noon on Sunday
2/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota Golden Gophers (13-12, 5-7 Big Ten)
vs.
Indiana Hoosiers (15-10, 4-8 Big Ten)
LOCATION Williams Arena (14,625) - Minneapolis, Minn..
DATE / TIME: Sun., Feb. 11 - 12 noon.
TELEVISION: Comcast / Fox SportsNet North
Dave Eanet (play-by-play), Suzie McConnell Serio (analyst)
RADIO / WEBCAST: WCCO-AM 830, KBEM-FM-88.5, KRDS 95.5 /
Gopher Radio Network / gophersports.com
Rita Maloney (play-by-play), Lynnette Sjoquist (analyst)
Golden Gopher Watch List — Feb. 11, 2007
• Gophers Host Indiana on Sunday at 12 Noon - Minnesota (13-12, 5-7 Big Ten) hosts Indiana on Sunday, Feb. 11, as the Gophers celebrate Senior Recognition Day. The tip time is an early 12 noon to facilitate a Comcast SportsNet Chicago television broadcast.
• The Waiting Game Could Be Over- Minnesota hopes to get its senior captain Kelly Roysland back soon from a broken collarbone suffered just over two weeks ago. Roysland expects to be back in uniform on Sunday when the Golden Gophers celebrate Senior Recognition Day.
• Fox Playing All-Conference Calibre Ball - Sophomore Emily Fox has stepped into the Gophers’ leading role and is averaging 18.8 points per game since Kelly Roysland went down with her injury.
• So Close - Minnesota has lost its last three games, two of them to teams ranked in the nation’s top 10, by a combined total of just 10 points.
Gophers Play Host to Indiana on Sunday
Minnesota (13-12, 5-7 Big Ten) plays host to Indiana on Sunday as the Golden Gophers and Hoosiers square off for the second time in the span of a week. Indiana (15-10, 4-8 Big Ten) edged Minnesota, 69-65, in Bloomington, last Sunday.
Sunday’s Game Televised by Comcast and Fox
Sunday’s game versus Indiana will be televised by Comcast SportsNet Chicago as part of the Big Ten Conference’s television package. Dave Eanet will call the action with former Minnesota Lynx coach Suzie McConnell Serio providing the color analysis. Locally, Comcast digital customers on a sports tier will be able to see the game live. Fox SportsNet North will air the game on a tape-delayed basis on Monday, Feb . 12 at 8 p.m.
Senior Recognition Day on Sunday
How time flies. It seems like just yesterday that the Gophers were watching a young Kelly Roysland slash to the basket to score in the Final Four game against Connecticut. On Sunday, the Gophers will honor their lone senior and team captain.
Fosston Travels in Droves to Honor Roysland
Put the closed sign in the window and jump on the bus. Two busloads of Golden Gopher fans from Fosston will head to the Twin Cities on Sunday to honor their hometown hero Kelly Roysland.
The Waiting Game, Roysland a Game-Day Decision
The Gophers’ lone senior and team captain Kelly Roysland will be in uniform for the first time on Sunday versus Indiana since suffering a broken collarbone in the game versus Iowa (Jan. 25). Prior to her injury, Roysland had played in each of her 118 career games, including Minnesota’s Final Four national semifinal appearance versus Connecticut in 2004. Roysland’s playing status on Sunday will be a game-time decision.
Crunch Time
As the Big Ten teams turn the corner and head toward the home stretch, Minnesota has some work to do to secure a first-round bye for the Big Ten Tournament. The Gophers are 5-7 in league play, currently sitting in seventh place. They are, however, just one game in the win column from fourth-place. The top five teams earn a bye in the first round of the conference tournament. Illinois and Wisconsin have six wins, while Minnesota and Penn State have five.
Slamming the Door on the Sweep
Indiana has a chance to sweep the Gophers in the regular-season meetings for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Since Pam Borton arrived at Minnesota, the Gophers have only been swept four times and only by nationally ranked teams (Ohio State, 2003-04 and 2006-07; Michigan State 2004-05 and Purdue 2005-06).
So Close, So Very Close
Minnesota has lost its last three games, two of them to teams ranked in the nation’s top 10, by a combined total of just 10 points. The Gophers lost to No. 10/13 Purdue on Feb. 1 by a score of 58-55, 69-65 at Indiana on Feb. 4, then by a 70-67 count to No. 4/5 Ohio State
Let’s Not Even Go There
The Golden Gophers look to break out of a four-game losing streak. A victory would keep the Gophers from their longest losing streak under Pam Borton. Minnesota has not lost back-to-back home games (consecutive games on the schedule) in Williams Arena since moving back from the Sports Pavilion. The last time the Gophers suffered two home losses in a row was in the 2000-01 season. It was a Gopher first to lose two home games in a row that were not consecutive games in recent defeats to No. 10/13 Purdue and No. 4/5 Ohio State.
A Positive for the Future
Redshirt freshman Ashley Ellis-Milan played two of her best games of the season when facing the Big Ten’s best in Ohio State’s Jessica Davenport, the league’s two-time Player of the Year. Ellis-Milan matched Davenport on Thursday with each scoring 17 points. Earlier this season, Ellis-Milan tallied a double-double against Davenport and the Buckeyes. The last freshman to record a double-double versus a ranked team was Janel McCarville, who accomplished the teat twice in her 2001-02 rookie season with the Gophers.
Harper Enjoys Her Best Game in Big Ten
Zoe Harper played a big role in defending Ohio State’s Jessica Davenport and responded with her finest game in Big Ten play. Harper tied her career high with seven rebounds and added four points in 15 minutes of play.
Fox on the Run
Emily Fox has played her best basketball of her career over the past few weeks, especially important when backcourt running mate Kelly Roysland was sidelined for a few weeks. Since Roysland went out with her injury, Fox has averaged 18.8 points points a game. During the same span, Fox is also adding 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
Dare We Call It a Shot of Confidence?
Let’s take it one step further. Ever since Emily Fox’s last second jumper won the game at Northwestern, the sophomore guard has averaged 17.9 points per game in Big Ten action. Even more impressive about Fox’s scoring outburst is that four of the seven games were played on the road.
Leslie Knight Earns Academic All-District Honor
Leslie Knight was named to the ESPN The Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team, by a vote of the nation’s sports information directors. Knight, a junior from Minnetonka, Minn., owns an impressive 3.82 grade point average in a communication major. She posted a perfect 4.0 GPA for the fall semester. Knight has started all 25 games for the Golden Gophers at the forward position. She averages 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. In Big Ten play, Knight’s statistics improve to 10.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Student-athletes must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 and be a least a sophomore to be eligible for the academic award.
Gopher Radio Announcer Rita Maloney Honored
Rita Maloney, the Golden Gopher women’s basketball radio play-by-play announcer, was honored today with the Media Award at the National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul. The celebration is in its 21st year. Maloney has been a valuable member of the Twin Cites media over the past decade and joined the Golden Gopher Radio Network last season.
McCoy Earning Her Stripes as a Defensive Stopper
Purdue guard Katie Gearlds commented that she was glad former Gopher defensive stopper Shannon Bolden had graduated. Well, Brittany McCoy was like a recurring nightmare for Gearlds, playing tough defense on the All-Big Ten Boilermaker guard and forcing Gearlds into a season-low four-points outing on 2-of-10 from the floor and 0-3 from three-point range. McCoy played 39 of 40 minutes and also contributed seven points, five assists and two steals.
Standing Tall in the Post
Leslie Knight ranks fifth in Big Ten play in field goal percentage converting 54.9 percent of her scoring opportunities. Coupled with her 86.1 percent accuracy from the free throw line, Knight has become a solid scoring option of the Gophers in the low post and averages 10.9 points per Big Ten game.
Barnes Solid in Starting Role
Junior Jordan Barnes has started the last three games filling in for the injured Kelly Roysland. Barnes has responded with solid outings versus No. 10/13 Purdue, Indiana and No. 4/5 Ohio State averaging 6.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. She has also averaged 30.7 minutes of action.
Roysland’s Countdown to 1,000 on Hold
Senior Kelly Roysland is three (3) points (has 997 career points) from becoming the 17th player in Minnesota history to score 1,000 points in a career. Roysland scored 10 points versus Iowa (Jan. 25) before leaving the game with her injury.
Scouting Indiana
Indiana owns a record of 15-10 overall and 4-8 in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers dropped a 60-53 game at Wisconsin on Thursday, a game that had a halftime score of 19-17. Guard Nikki Smith leads the Hoosiers in scoring at 12.8 points per game. Center Sarah McKay is the only other Hoosier averaging in double figures at 10.4 points a game.
The Minnesota / Indiana Series
Minnesota leads the series with Indiana by a 26-24 margin. The Hoosiers, however, won the last two meetings, including a 69-65 victory last Sunday.
