University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, March 14
Williams Arena
University of Minnesota
97
vs
54
Illinois-Chicago
Gophers Dominate in WNIT Opener
3/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Balanced scoring and prolific shooting led Minnesota’s women’s basketball team to cruise to a 97-54 victory over Illinois-Chicago in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday at Williams Arena.
The Gophers will advance to face Western Kentucky in the second Bowling Green, Ky. on Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m.
Sophomore Emily Fox played possibly the most well-rounded game of her career with 19 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and five steals. Freshman Korinne Campbell also recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Ashley Ellis-Milan was just shy of being the third Gopher tallying a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Senior Kelly Roysland (13 points) and freshman Katie Ohm (11) also scored in double figures. Ohm hit three three-pointers for the second time in her career.
Ellis-Milan and Campbell each had four offensive rebounds to both gather over 100 offensive rebounds in a season. They are only the fourth and fifth players in Minnesota history to accomplish that feat, and the first pair to do it in the same season.
Freshman Brittany McCoy also contributed three assists to go over 100 for the season and bring her total to 102. She joins Fox, who has 130 assists. It is only the second time in Gopher history that two players have eclipsed the century mark in assists in a single season.
Minnesota shot 58.3 percent (42-of-72) for the game, including shooting 60.5 percent in the second half. It is by far the Gophers’ highest shooting percentage of the season.
Ninety-seven points was the highest Minnesota scoring output of the season, and the 64th consecutive game the Gophers won when they scored 70 or more points.
The Gophers quickly pushed out to a 12-6 lead in the game’s opening minutes after a basket by Brittany McCoy. Illinois-Chicago was within four points at 16-12 with 10:13 to play in the first half, but that’s as close as the Flames would get. Minnesota went on a 27-11 run the rest of the half to open up a 20-point lead, 43-23 at the break.
Minnesota extended its lead in the second half by shooting 60.5 percent. The Gophers’ biggest lead was 49 points at 95-46 with 2:37 left to play.
Illinois-Chicago forward Jacquay Holmes led all scorers with 22 points to tally over 1,000 points in her career. Holmes finished her career with 1,001 total points and became the third player to surpass the milestone this season.
Post-game Quotes
Illinois-Chicago head coach Lisa Ryckbosch
“It is great to see all this support for women’s basketball. We did not play our best game of the year, but I was very impressed with how we handled ourselves on the court. This is a new experience for us and it showed. We failed to execute, but it is great motivation for next year. I was very impressed how Minnesota plays the game and this game was definitely a learning process for us.”
Minnesota head coach Pam Borton
“It was great to finally get back out on the court and actually play a game. I thought that the first six minutes of the game we were a little rusty, but I liked how we took control after that and the overall effort of this team. We were in attacking mode and played great together as a basketball team. After not making the NCAA tournament, we have something to prove and the WNIT is a great tournament to do that in. Our goal right now is to win a championship.”
On the WNIT:
“We obviously want to come back here and play in The Barn as long as we can. We also want to share our post-season with the great fans of Minnesota.”
On the play of the guards:
“Emmy (Fox) is going to continue to get better and better each game. I thought that Kelly (Roysland) did a great job tonight making shots in the first half during the team’s struggle. That is what her leadership does, she gets everyone else going.”
The Gophers will advance to face Western Kentucky in the second Bowling Green, Ky. on Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m.
Sophomore Emily Fox played possibly the most well-rounded game of her career with 19 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and five steals. Freshman Korinne Campbell also recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Ashley Ellis-Milan was just shy of being the third Gopher tallying a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Senior Kelly Roysland (13 points) and freshman Katie Ohm (11) also scored in double figures. Ohm hit three three-pointers for the second time in her career.
Ellis-Milan and Campbell each had four offensive rebounds to both gather over 100 offensive rebounds in a season. They are only the fourth and fifth players in Minnesota history to accomplish that feat, and the first pair to do it in the same season.
Freshman Brittany McCoy also contributed three assists to go over 100 for the season and bring her total to 102. She joins Fox, who has 130 assists. It is only the second time in Gopher history that two players have eclipsed the century mark in assists in a single season.
Minnesota shot 58.3 percent (42-of-72) for the game, including shooting 60.5 percent in the second half. It is by far the Gophers’ highest shooting percentage of the season.
Ninety-seven points was the highest Minnesota scoring output of the season, and the 64th consecutive game the Gophers won when they scored 70 or more points.
The Gophers quickly pushed out to a 12-6 lead in the game’s opening minutes after a basket by Brittany McCoy. Illinois-Chicago was within four points at 16-12 with 10:13 to play in the first half, but that’s as close as the Flames would get. Minnesota went on a 27-11 run the rest of the half to open up a 20-point lead, 43-23 at the break.
Minnesota extended its lead in the second half by shooting 60.5 percent. The Gophers’ biggest lead was 49 points at 95-46 with 2:37 left to play.
Illinois-Chicago forward Jacquay Holmes led all scorers with 22 points to tally over 1,000 points in her career. Holmes finished her career with 1,001 total points and became the third player to surpass the milestone this season.
Post-game Quotes
Illinois-Chicago head coach Lisa Ryckbosch
“It is great to see all this support for women’s basketball. We did not play our best game of the year, but I was very impressed with how we handled ourselves on the court. This is a new experience for us and it showed. We failed to execute, but it is great motivation for next year. I was very impressed how Minnesota plays the game and this game was definitely a learning process for us.”
Minnesota head coach Pam Borton
“It was great to finally get back out on the court and actually play a game. I thought that the first six minutes of the game we were a little rusty, but I liked how we took control after that and the overall effort of this team. We were in attacking mode and played great together as a basketball team. After not making the NCAA tournament, we have something to prove and the WNIT is a great tournament to do that in. Our goal right now is to win a championship.”
On the WNIT:
“We obviously want to come back here and play in The Barn as long as we can. We also want to share our post-season with the great fans of Minnesota.”
On the play of the guards:
“Emmy (Fox) is going to continue to get better and better each game. I thought that Kelly (Roysland) did a great job tonight making shots in the first half during the team’s struggle. That is what her leadership does, she gets everyone else going.”
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
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