University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, February 17
Iowa City, IA
University of Minnesota
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Iowa
Gophers Falter After Comeback at Iowa
2/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota came back from a 14-point first-half deficit, played tenacious defense in the second half, but fell short in a 72-69 loss at Iowa on Sunday. Leslie Knight led the Golden Gophers with 20 points, Emily Fox added 16.
Iowa (18-8, 11-4) blistered the nets with nine three-point field goals in the first half. Junior Wendy Ausdemore’s fifth triple of the half gave the Hawkeyes a 44-30 lead. Knight’s two free throws and then a driving lay-up as time expired brought the Iowa lead to 10 points at halftime.
The second half was a different ball game. Minnesota clawed its way back into the game with a 12-2 run midway through the half.
Two free throws by Fox with 7:05 remaining tied the score at 57-57. Free throws by Knight, who went 8-for-8 from the line, nudged the Gophers in front, their first lead since a score of 4-2 in the game’s opening minutes.
Ausdemore answered with a lay-up before Katie Ohm hit a three pointer from the right wing to provide Minnesota with its largest lead of the game at three points 62-59 with 5:30 left to play.
Iowa scored on its next two possessions to recapture the lead. Ohm stepped up big again with a long trey from the top of the key to tie the score at 65-65 with 3:58 on the clock.
Iowa’s Krista VandeVenter, who make the game-winning shot in the Hawkeyes’ overtime win at Williams Arena earlier this season, once again made a play that was the difference in the game’s outcome. Kristi Smith drew a foul from Fox and went to the free throw line in a bonus situation. The Hawkeye point guard converted the first free throw but missed the second. VandeVenter capitalized on a missed blockout, grabbing the rebound and banking it in for an easy deuce, extending the Iowa lead to three.
Brittany McCoy closed the gap with a lay-up with 2:36, answered by VandeVenter’s lay-in on the Hawkeye end of the court with 1:47 left to play. Smith added a jumper to put the game out of reach with 15 ticks remaining. Fox hit an inconsequential jumper as time expired.
“Iowa’s seniors made the difference in this game,” said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. “We dug a hole in the first half but worked our way out of it in the second half. We talked about how we wanted to be in a position to win at the last media time out. It was tied at that time. We just didn’t make enough plays down the stretch. Iowa’s seniors did.”
Minnesota’s next game is Saturday, Feb. 23, at home versus Wisconsin at 11 a.m.
Iowa (18-8, 11-4) blistered the nets with nine three-point field goals in the first half. Junior Wendy Ausdemore’s fifth triple of the half gave the Hawkeyes a 44-30 lead. Knight’s two free throws and then a driving lay-up as time expired brought the Iowa lead to 10 points at halftime.
The second half was a different ball game. Minnesota clawed its way back into the game with a 12-2 run midway through the half.
Two free throws by Fox with 7:05 remaining tied the score at 57-57. Free throws by Knight, who went 8-for-8 from the line, nudged the Gophers in front, their first lead since a score of 4-2 in the game’s opening minutes.
Ausdemore answered with a lay-up before Katie Ohm hit a three pointer from the right wing to provide Minnesota with its largest lead of the game at three points 62-59 with 5:30 left to play.
Iowa scored on its next two possessions to recapture the lead. Ohm stepped up big again with a long trey from the top of the key to tie the score at 65-65 with 3:58 on the clock.
Iowa’s Krista VandeVenter, who make the game-winning shot in the Hawkeyes’ overtime win at Williams Arena earlier this season, once again made a play that was the difference in the game’s outcome. Kristi Smith drew a foul from Fox and went to the free throw line in a bonus situation. The Hawkeye point guard converted the first free throw but missed the second. VandeVenter capitalized on a missed blockout, grabbing the rebound and banking it in for an easy deuce, extending the Iowa lead to three.
Brittany McCoy closed the gap with a lay-up with 2:36, answered by VandeVenter’s lay-in on the Hawkeye end of the court with 1:47 left to play. Smith added a jumper to put the game out of reach with 15 ticks remaining. Fox hit an inconsequential jumper as time expired.
“Iowa’s seniors made the difference in this game,” said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. “We dug a hole in the first half but worked our way out of it in the second half. We talked about how we wanted to be in a position to win at the last media time out. It was tied at that time. We just didn’t make enough plays down the stretch. Iowa’s seniors did.”
Minnesota’s next game is Saturday, Feb. 23, at home versus Wisconsin at 11 a.m.
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