University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Yale
Minnesota Wins Subway Classic
11/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota had three players score 15 or more points as a balanced effort helped the Golden Gophers capture the title in the Subway Classic with an 87-63 victory over Yale at Williams Arena on Sunday. Senior Emily Fox paced the Gophers with 17 points and seven assists and was named the Classic most valuable player for the second consecutive season.
Yale (2-2), coming off a 65-61 win over North Carolina State the day before, played inspired basketball in the first half, sticking with the Gophers who held a 35-34 lead at intermission. Late in the half, the Bulldogs even owned a four-point lead.
The five minutes of the second half proved to be the difference in the game. Minnesota fired out of the gates hitting on seven of their first 10 shots in the half, including thee-point field goals by three different Golden Gophers. Kiara Buford, who joined Fox on the all-tournament team, swished a long three from the right wing to cap off an 18-6 Gopher run and give Minnesota a 53-40 lead with 15:05 to place.
The Bulldogs closed to within single-digits twice, the last being a nine-point deficit at 59-50 with 9:42 remaining. The Gophers took control down the stretch with a 10-0 run from that point. Katie Ohm, who struggled with foul trouble versus American in the Gophers’ previous game, was flawless from long range hitting her third three-pointer to finish the day a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc. Buford added her second three-pointer of the game.
With the game well in hand, the Gopher bench saw plenty of action and the lead continued to swell. Redshirt freshman Kristen Dockery saw the first action of her collegiate career and hit two free throws with a minute left to match the Gophers’ biggest lead of 27 points (87-60) and receive an ovation from the Gopher crowd of 5,568.
Freshman starting forward Jackie Voigt enjoyed an efficient outing despite being hampered with foul trouble throughout the contest. Voigt finished with a career-high 15 points and seven rebounds in just 22 minutes. Ohm rebounded from a tough game versus American to add 15 points, while Kay Sylva came off the bench to contribute a career-high 12 points making 6-of-7 field goals. Ashley Ellis-Milan grabbed 11 rebounds to pace the Gophers on the glass, marking her third straight game in double-digits rebounding.
Yale was led by forward Melissa Colborne who scored 19 points and along with Haywood Wright, who added 15 points, were Bulldogs named to the all-tournament team. North Carolina State defeated American, 73-63, in the Subway Classic consolation game. Completing the all-tournament team was Shayla Fields from the Wolfpack and Nicole Ryan from the Eagles.
Minnesota travels to Boulder, Colo., next weekend to compete in the Colorado Coors Classic. The Gophers face Drexel on Friday, Nov. 28.
Game Quotes
Minnesota Head Coach Pam Borton
Opening Statement
“I really like how we came out in the second half. We played with great intensity and emotion. And whenever Kay Sylva comes out on the floor, she’s just contagious. The energy and intensity she brings on the court is contagious for the whole team.”
On player Kay Sylva
“What she does is makes plays. She makes plays on defense and she is finishing in the lane. The energy she brings has been consistent.”
On Performance
“Every game is a big game for us. We want to win a lot of championships and this is a start. On the court, I think we’re making more shots, taking more open shots, and our chemistry is getting a lot better.”
Minnesota Player Quotes
Emily Fox
On winning MVP
“That’s really an individual award, but I think it’s our team that won it. I try to make passes, shots, whatever I need to do.”
On teammate Kay Sylva
“Kay really is a spark off the bench. She helps to get us out of a funk, and like coach says, her energy is really is contagious.”
Kay Sylva
On being “contagious”
“Coach is right. The team is counting on me to bring out the energy. I know I can do it and I know it spreads to the team.”
Yale Head Coach Chris Gobrecht
Opening Statement
“I’m disappointed we didn’t compete in the second half. It was just unacceptable. The real test was to play back to back weekends; it takes a really tough effort.
On Minnesota’s performance
“They were really physical with us, and they just beat us up. I think we eat too much sushi at Yale and not enough red meat. It wore on us, we got tired, and we need to be tougher than that.”
Was the weekend a success?
“It was a good learning experience. I think it was a success from that standpoint.”
