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University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Boston College
Ohm's Seven Three-Pointers Key Gopher Win
12/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota captured an 80-60 victory over Boston College in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge game in Williams Arena on Thursday. The Golden Gophers, winners of eight straight games, are 8-1. Katie Ohm scored her third career high in as many games with 23 points, 21 of them coming off seven three-point field goals tying a Williams Arena single-game record.
The Gophers finished with four players in double figures. Ashley Ellis-Milan scored 16 points, while Brittany McCoy added 14 points and Jackie Voigt added 10, along with 10 rebounds for her first career double-double.
Boston College (5-2) shot out of the blocks early hitting on 13 of their first 19 field goal attempts to take 29-14 lead with 7:30 left in the first half. The Gophers finally settled into their defensive game plan late in the half and calmly chipped away at the Eagles’ lead. Ohm hit a pair of three-pointers as the Gophers’ closed the half with a 16-6 run to trim the deficit from 15 to five at intermission. Ohm had already scored 14 points by halftime.
Minnesota quickly established its rhythm in the second half. The Gophers tied the score at 39-39 at the 17:25 mark on a lay-in by Voigt off an assist by McCoy, one of seven on the night without a turnover. Emily Fox drove for a pull-up jumper to give Minnesota a 42-41 lead, its first since the opening minutes of the game.
From that point on it was a dominating performance by the Gophers. On defense, the Gophers increase their intensity to bother the Eagles into shooting just 36.0 percent from the field, after they sizzled at a 57.7 percentage in the first half. The inspired Gophers also harassed Boston College into 10 second-half turnovers. In contrast, the Gophers were an efficient machine on offense, shooting 50 percent from the floor (15-30) and three-point range (5-10) and an impressive 93.8 percent from the free throw line making 15-of-16 attempts.
The Gophers pushed their lead to 20 points when Ohm notched her seventh trey of the game, tying Lindsay Whalen’s seven triple versus Michigan State in Jan. of 2004, with 4:23 remaining. The three-pointer capped a 14-5 run to put the game out of reach.
Voigt scored her final basket to collect her double-double and give Minnesota its third straight game with 80 or more points scored. The Gophers have lit up the scoreboard with 50 or more points in a single half of play in each of those games.
The Gophers tied their season low with just 11 turnovers. The starting backcourt of Fox (six assists) and McCoy (seven assists) combined for 13 assists without a turnover. Minnesota made 17-of-18 free throw attempts for 94.4 percent.
Minnesota’s next game is Tuesday, Dec. 9, when the Golden Gophers play host to South Dakota State.
Game Quotes
Minnesota Head Coach Pam Borton
On tonight’s game...
“I thought it was a great team effort tonight. We had four players who finished in double figures. We played aggressive in the second half and showed a lot of character and team chemistry. We just had to find a way to get it done.”
On the second half of play...
“We had a nice run toward the end of the first half. We knew we had to set the tone the second half just like when we played against Colorado, we were down by eight points and came back with a win.”
Boston College Head Coach Sylvia Crowley
Opening Statement...
“I really thought that Minnesota wore us out in the second half. The game came down to two things: three point shots and free throws. It also didn’t help us to have two of our girls get into foul trouble early.”
On Minnesota closing early deficit...
“When Minnesota was down by 15, I felt solid about our lead. Right before half, they made a really good push and brought it within five. Also, they brought the crowd back into it and our team made some uncharacteristic mistakes.”
On difference between Big Ten and ACC...
“I thought that playing Minnesota could help us in the season by getting us used to a physical team. The ACC is a faster league while the Big Ten is more of a physical league.”
