University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Santa Clara
Gophers Head into Final Exams with a Victory
12/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
China Antoine started her first game as a Gopher and tallied a career-high 15 points. Antoine didn’t take long to get accustomed to the starting lineup, swishing a three-pointer on the Gophers’ first possession just 24 seconds into the game.
Santa Clara (2-8) scored on five of its first seven possessions to grab an early lead at 10-7 with 16:20 left in the first half. The score held until the first media timeout with 15:50 on the clock, when Katie Ohm, who had started 55 straight games until coming off the bench versus Santa Clara, entered the game. Ohm’s court-presence ignited the Gophers, who went on an 11-0 run to take control of the game. Jackie Voigt started the rally with a three-pointer from the top of the key, followed by an Ohm lay-in off a Voigt assist in the next possession.
The Broncos scored back-to-back baskets to cut the Gopher lead to four points at 18-14, but Santa Clara’s momentum was short-lived. Minnesota clicked into high gear with a 13-2 run to give the Gophers’ a double-digit lead. During the run, Antoine made her fourth consecutive shot to start the game to hit double figures with over seven minutes left in the first half.
An Ohm three-pointer with three seconds left in the half gave the Gophers’ a 22-point lead, 45-23, at intermission.
The Gophers continued to build on their lead in the second half by shooting 50 percent from the field (16-32) and three-point range (4-8) and 90.9 percent (10-11) from the free throw line. Head coach Pam Borton was able to use her bench freely with 11 players scoring and 10 Gophers seeing over 12 minutes of playing time.
Ashley Ellis-Milan added 12 points and Ohm and Zoe Harper each contributed 11 points as Minnesota finished with five players in double figures for the second time this season. Starters Voigt and Brittany McCoy led the Gophers with six assists apiece.
