University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Southern
Cotton Leads Gophers Past Southern, 63-48
12/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sophomore guard Leah Cotton scored a career-high 26 points, as Minnesota held off a feisty Southern team to record a 63-48 victory Thursday night at Williams Arena.
The Gophers (6-4) jumped out to an early 9-0 lead on a 17-foot jumper by junior guard Brianna Mastey, a layup by Cotton, a running one-hander in the lane by junior guard Kiara Buford, and then a trey by Cotton.
With more than 10 minutes remaining in the half, Cotton had already come off the bench to score 10 points, and the Gophers led 15-4. But Southern went on a 9-3 run, highlighted by a three-pointer from Tiffany Foster and a pair of layups by Ebony Sanders, to cut Minnesota's lead to 18-13.
Cotton continued her scoring tear, tallying seven of the Gophers' next nine points to keep Minnesota in front, 27-23. After Southern pulled to within one point on a three-pointer by Hannah Kador, senior point guard China Antoine answered with a trifecta of her own and then a steal and layup to push the lead back to six points at 32-26.
Cotton made a pair of free throws with 0:12 left in the half to increase her first-half total to a game-high 19 points, as Minnesota led 34-26. She made 4-of-7 field goals, including 2-of-4 three-pointers, and added 9-of-10 free throws in the opening half.
Southern outscored the Gophers, 6-5, for the first five-plus minutes of the second half, pulling to within 39-33 before Cotton hit a wide-open trey and Buford scored on a short bank shot to increase the lead back to 44-33.
The Jaguars got as close as six points, 50-44, with 7:03 remaining, but Buford hit a free throw and a baseline jumper, then senior forward Kristen Dockery added a bank shot from the right side and junior forward Jackie Voigt added a layup during a 7-2 spurt to the lead back to 57-46. The Golden Gophers made enough free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win.
Cotton paced the Gophers with career-highs of 26 points and five rebounds, making 5-of-12 field goals (3-of-7 three-pointers) and 13-of-16 free throws. Buford finished with 11 points, while Voigt had eight points and six rebounds, and Antoine finished with seven points, six boards, four steals and three assists. Dockery had five points and a game-high nine rebounds, as the Gophers held a 44-29 advantage on the glass.
Southern (2-5) was led by Hannah Kador's 21 points, but the Jaguars managed to make just 19-of-61 (.311) field goals, including 4-of-20 (.200) three-pointers. As a team, Minnesota made 20-of-46 (.435) field goals, including 4-of-12 (.333) treys, and 19-of-26 (.731) free throws.
The Gophers will now play host to Cal Poly (2-4) on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. (CST) in Williams Arena. For ticket information, call the Golden Gopher Ticket Office at 612.624.8080 or 1.800.U.GOPHER, or visit www.mygophersports.com.
