University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Welcomes Southern University to The Barn
12/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota plays host to the first of two home games this week when it faces Southern University on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. (CST) in Williams Arena.
The game will be streamed live on BigTenNetwork.com, with Ryan Drees calling the play-by-play and Andy Kimball adding color commentary. It will also be aired live on KBEM (88.5 FM) and selected affiliates on the Gopher Radio Network, with Corbu Stathes handling the play-by-play and Lynnette Sjoquist providing color analysis.
The Gophers are 5-4 after defeating Virginia Tech, 63-58, in the ACC / Big Ten Challenge last Thursday and then dropping a 103-56 decision at #2/3 Baylor on Sunday afternoon. Southern enters with a record of 2-4 following an 87-54 loss at Lamar University on Tuesday afternoon.
Minnesota and Southern have met just once, with the Gophers winning by a 93-41 score in Minneapolis on Nov. 22, 2003, to open their Final Four season. The game with the Jaguars was part of that season's Subway Classic, which Minnesota won when it followed with a 95-61 trouncing of #16/16 Colorado.
Head coach Pam Borton's Gophers are among the top-shooting teams in the nation so far this season, entering the week ranked fourth among Big Ten teams and 29th nationally in field goal percentage. The figure currently sits at .453 (221-of-488). The Gophers also ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 29th nationally for three-point field goal percentage at .376 (44-of-117).
Individually, Kiara Buford ranks fifth in the Big Ten with an average of 17.2 points per game, and recorded a career-high 27 points in last Thursday's 63-58 win versus Virginia Tech, while Leah Cotton is the Gophers' other player with a double-digit average (14.3 ppg) after scoring a team-high 20 points at Baylor.
China Antoine entered the week ranked second in the Big Ten and 23rd nationally for assists per game (5.6 apg), and her assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) ranked third in the conference (49th nationally). Antoine also ranked fourth in the Big Ten (12th nationally) for three-point percentage (.500), eighth in the conference for steals (2.2 spg), and sixth in the Big Ten for three-pointers per game (2.0). Jackie Voigt ranked seventh in rebounding (7.4 rpg), while also averaging 7.7 points per contest.
For ticket information, call the Golden Gopher Ticket Office at 612.624.8080 or 1.800.U.GOPHER, or visit www.mygophersports.com and go to the page for women's basketball to see ticket availability and pricing options.
