University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Ohio State
Gophers Fall to No. 7/9 Ohio State
2/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota gave Big Ten champion Ohio State a battle in Williams Arena but came up on the short end losing 64-59 to the No. 7/9 Buckeyes. Jackie Voigt led the Gophers with 15 points.
Ohio State clinched the outright Big Ten title, its sixth straight, with the victory improving to 25-3 overall and 13-2 in the Big Ten. Minnesota fell to 12-13 overall and 5-9 in league play.
The Gophers led the game for the first 30 minutes, but an 8-0 Buckeye spurt midway through the second half was costly. Brittany McCoy hit two free throws to tie the game at 45 with 10:08 remaining. Ohio State looked to their All-American center Jantel Lavender in the next possession and the Big Ten’s defending Player of the Year and she delivered with a basket that put the Buckeyes up for good.
Tayler Hill’s layup with 5:42 put Ohio State up by eight at 53-45. Minnesota answered with a Katie Ohm three-point field goal and an Ashley Ellis-Milan jumper to bring it to 53-50. Each time, the Gophers closed to within a single possession they forced an Ohio State miss from the floor, but the Buckeyes captured crucial offensive rebounds to keep possessions alive.
The Buckeyes sealed the game in the final two minutes. Jackie Voigt hit a jumper to bring the Gophers to within three points one last time at 55-52. Lavender missed a 12-foot turnaround but Shevelle Little corralled the rebound. Little was fouled and she hit both free throws. The Buckeyes hit nine of 10 free throws down the stretch to ice the game.
The Gophers had as big as an eight-point lead in the first half. Voigt scored eight of her team-high 15 points in the opening half.
Minnesota held Ohio State to just 35.3 percent shooting from the field, the Buckeyes’ second-lowest outing of the season. The Gophers, however, put the Buckeyes at the free throw line 30 times, where Ohio State converted 26. The Gophers were just 9-of-11 from the line in the game.
Every player that saw action for the Gophers scored. Joining Voigt in double figures was Zoe Harper off the bench with 10 points.
Samantha Prahaulis led Ohio State with 19 points and eight assists. Lavender finished with 14.
Ohio State Quotes
Head Coach Jim Foster
On the game:
"It was a very physical game. At first we were not making shots and transitioning. In the second half we just made a decision to step it up. The game turned into something that complements our strengths."
On clinching six consecutive Big Ten Titles:
"It is obviously a significant accomplishment. When I took the job at Ohio State I learned quickly it was about winning Big Ten Championships and National Championships which is what we are hoping for. It is a significant accomplishment because no one else has done it. It is certainly special."
Freshman Guard Tayler Hill
On Minnesota's game play:
"They were tough. They are just an aggressive basketball team overall, everyone from guards to forwards."
On clinching the Big Ten Title:
"We are celebrating a little but we are just focused on our next game."
Sophomore Guard Samantha Prahalis
On the difference in Minnesota from the last time played:
"They came out with more confidence in the first half. We had to do a lot of drives. There was not a lot of open threes that we are used to. They shut those down. "
On Shavelle Little's contributions off the bench:
"That's [Shavelle Little]. She's always a spark for us. I think she's smart. She's smart in her play. I have full confidence in her."
Minnesota Quotes
Head Coach Pam Borton
On the game:
"When you play a team that's in the top ten you have to bring your 'A' game, and we brought our 'A-' game. I thought we did a pretty decent job tonight, but you've got to put a forty-minute game together when you're playing a top ten team."
On what happened to Minnesota at the end of the game:
"We just missed shots. I thought we took some good shots. Jackie [Voigt] got some good shots off, but they were a little short. I don't know if she was tired or what. You've got to keep your focus 100 percent of the time."
Sophomore Forward Jackie Voigt
On what the team will take away from this game:
"I definitely think we made a step in the right direction, but we should have won that game. We had a chance to win the game. I think we're back to playing Minnesota basketball, and we've got to do that the rest of the [season].
