University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Ready For WNIT Matchup on Wednesday
3/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-15, 7-9 Big Ten)
vs.
Illinois-Chicago Flames (19-12, 11-5 Horizon League)
LOCATION Williams Arena (14,625) - Minneapolis, Minn..
DATE / TIME: Wed., March 14 - 7 p.m.
TELEVISION: none
RADIO / WEBCAST: KBEM-FM-88.5, KRDS 95.5 /
Gopher Radio Network / gophersports.com
Rita Maloney (play-by-play), Lynnette Sjoquist (analyst)
Golden Gopher Watch List — March 14, 2007
• Gophers Face Illinois-Chicago in WNIT Match-up - Minnesota (16-15, 7-9 Big Ten) will face Illinois-Chicago (19-12, 11-5 Horizon League) in a first-round game of the 2007 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). Tip off is set for 7 p.m. in Williams Arena.
• A Gopher First But Big Ten Has Past Success - Minnesota is making its first appearance in the WNIT, but the Big Ten as a whole has enjoyed much success in the WNIT. Big Ten teams have combined for a 39-15 record (.722), with three titles captured by Penn State (1998), Wisconsin (2000) and Ohio State (2001).
• Roysland Gets Chance to Play Again in the Barn - Senior Kelly Roysland will get the chance to play another game in Williams Arena. Roysland has moved up to No. 12 on the Gophers’ all-time scorers list with 1,046 points.
• Closing In On a Double Dip of 100 Assists - Brittany McCoy is one assist from 100 dishes on the season. If she reaches the century mark, McCoy will join Emily Fox (119 assists) to form just the second pair of teammates to record over 100 assists in the same season.
Gophers Continue Season in WNIT
Minnesota (16-15, 7-9 Big Ten) plays host to Illinois-Chicago (19-12, 11-5 Horizon League) as the Golden Gophers continue the 2006-07 season with their first appearance in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT). The Golden Gophers received an at-large berth into the tourney field, while the Flames earned the automatic qualifier from the Horizon League.
Western Kentucky Awaits the Winner
Western Kentucky will play host to the winner of Wednesday’s game in a second-round WNIT contest to be played in Bowling Green, Ky., on Monday, March 19. The Lady Toppers own a record of 20-8 overall and finished second in the Sun Belt Conference with a 14-4 mark.
Welcome to the Place We Lovingly Call “The Barn”
Williams Arena has provided an outstanding atmosphere and more importantly a great home-court advantage for the Golden Gophers in postseason play. The Gophers have played four postseason contests in “The Barn,” all of them in NCAA Tournament action, compiling a perfect 4-0 record.
The WNIT’s History
The WNIT has been contested since 1998. In 2007, the tournament field contains 48 teams for the first time. Minnesota is making its first appearance in the WNIT, but the Big Ten as a whole has enjoyed much success in the Tournament. Big Ten teams have combined for a 39-15 record (.722), with three titles captured by Penn State (1998), Wisconsin (2000) and Ohio State (2001).
WNIT Champions
Year Champion Runner-up
2006 Kansas State Marquette
2005 SW Missouri St. West Virginia
2004 Creighton UNLV
2003 Auburn Baylor
2002 Oregon Houston
2001 Ohio State New Mexico
2000 Wisconsin Florida
1999 Arkansas Wisconsin
1998 Penn State Baylor
The Big Ten in Postseason Play
A total of seven Big Ten Conference teams are continuing play into the postseason. Purdue, Ohio State and Michigan State are competing in the NCAA Tournament, while Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin are WNIT participants. Purdue earned the Big Ten’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament after capturing the Conference Tournament crown. Illinois received the automatic qualifier to the WNIT.
Gophers Finish in Tie For Fifth in Big Ten
The Golden Gophers finished the Big Ten campaign in a three-way tie for fifth-place with Penn State and Wisconsin with records of 7-9. Ohio State captured the regular-season crown, while Purdue won the BIg Ten Tournament title.
Gophers Still Out-Played the Predictions
Way back in October, the Big Ten coaches predicted Minnesota would finish in eighth place in the Conference standings. A poll of Big Ten media was even worse, pegging the Gophers to finish ninth. For a squad that has often found itself with four freshmen and a sophomore on the court at some very crucial moments this year, a fifth-place finish is a respectable one.
Roysland Moves Up to 12th on All-Time Scorers List
Kelly Roysland currently ranks 12th on the Minnesota all-time scorers list with 1,046 career points. Her next target is Angie Iverson (1994-98), in 11th with 1,162 points.
Fox Consistent in Big Ten Tourney
Golden Gopher sophomore Emily Fox averaged 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in two games at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis; leading the team in all three categories. Overall, Fox has topped the Gophers in points, rebounds and assists in the same game four times in 2006-07.
Gopher Freshman McCoy One Away
Brittany McCoy is one assist away from becoming the second player this season to reach the 100 assist mark. McCoy and Emily Fox (currently with 119 assists) would be the second duo in school history to accomplish this since April Calhoun (121) and Janel McCarville (119) did it in the 2004-2005 season.
The Freshman Factor
Minnesota’s freshmen have logged 55 percent of the minutes played as well as tallied 47 percent of the points scored this season.
The 2006-07 can be compared with the 2000-01 season when Minnesota had five prominent freshmen on the roster, including rookies Lindsay Whalen and Kadidja Andersson. In 2000-01, the freshmen contributed 47.3 percent of the scoring punch and 41.6 percent of the minutes played.
Gophers Win When They Score 70 Points
Though for a team with a defensive philosophy this statistic only makes sense it’s worthy of mention nonetheless. Minnesota has won 63 straight games, including 13 this season, when the Gophers have scored 70 or more points. One has to go back to the 2003 Big Ten Tournament and an 80-77 loss to Iowa to find the last time Minnesota tallied 70 yet lost.
