University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Battle Hawkeyes in Iowa City on Thursday
2/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-13, 5-9)
vs.
Iowa Hawkeyes (14-11, 7-7)
LOCATION: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500) / Iowa City, Ia.
DATE / TIME: Thursday, Feb. 18 / 7:30 p.m.
TELEVISION: Big Ten Network
Mark Neely (Play-by-Play), Mary Murphy (Color)
RADIO: Gopher Radio Network, KBEM (88.5 FM)
Corbu Stathes (Play-by-Play), Lynnette Sjoquist (Color Analysis)
Gophersports.com
Golden Gopher Watch List — Feb. 18, 2010
• Gophers Travel to Iowa on Thursday - Minnesota travels to Iowa on Thursday, Feb. 18, for the Golden Gophers’ second meeting with the Hawkeyes this season. The Gophers are 12-13 overall on the season and 5-9 in Big Ten play. Iowa sports an overall record of 14-11 and 7-7 in Conference action. Behind 21 points by Kiara Buford, Minnesota captured a 72-69 overtime win over the Hawkeyes earlier this season (Jan. 3).
• Minnesota / Iowa Game Broadcast on BTN - The Big Ten Network will televise Thursday’s Minnesota/Iowa game live at 7:30 p.m. CT. Calling the game for BTN will be Mark Neely and Mary Murphy.
• Gophers Hang Tough, but Lose to Ohio State - Minnesota held the lead in the game for 30 minutes but couldn’t hold back a late Ohio State rally, losing a 64-59 contest to the No. 7/9 Buckeyes last Sunday. Jackie Voigt led the Gophers with 15 points, while Zoe Harper added 10 points.
Gophers Play Next Two Games on the Road
Minnesota plays the first of its two road games this week at Iowa on Thursday, Feb. 18. Tip off at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. The Golden Gophers, who play at Indiana on Sunday, own a 12-13 overall record and a 5-9 mark in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes are perhaps the hottest team of late winning six of their last seven games and sport a record of 14-11 overall and 7-7 in Big Ten action. Minnesota captured a 72-69 overtime victory over Iowa on Jan. 3, in Williams Arena.
Game Times Announced for FInal Two Games
The Big Ten has announced the tip times of the Gophers’ final two regular season games. The game on Feb. 25 versus Michigan in Williams Arena will begin at 7 p.m CT and be webcast on BigTenNetwork.com. The regular-season finale at Michigan State will tip off at 1 p.m. CT and be broadcast live by the Big Ten Network.
Lots of Frequent Flier Miles
Minnesota has just one more home game remaining with three road games to finish the Big Ten season. The Gophers are working on a challenging stretch of schedule to end the season that included five road games in the last seven contests.
Borton Nearing Title of Winningest Gopher Coach
Minnesota head coach Pam Borton has 164 wins on the Golden Gopher sidelines and is nine wins from becoming the winningest coach in Gopher women’s basketball history. Ellen Mosher-Hanson currently owns the honor with 172 in her 10 years (1977-87) with Minnesota.
Gophers Hang Tough With No. 7/9 Buckeyes
Minnesota led No. 7/9 Ohio State for 30 minutes before the Buckeyes surges to capture a 64-59 victory.
Upon Further Review
* Minnesota actually out-shot Ohio State from the field 37.7 percent to 35.3 percent with the Gophers hitting more field goals (23) than Ohio State did (18)
* Minnesota was whistled for 24 personal fouls resulting in 30 Ohio State trips to the free throw line – Ohio State committed just 13 fouls giving Minnesota only 11 free throw attempts
* The Gophers out-rebounded the Buckeyes by a 41-35 margin
* Jackie Voigt led the Gophers in scoring with 15 points, her fourth team-leading performance of the season
* Every one of the Gophers who played against the Buckeyes scored, unfortunately each also added a tally in the turnover column
* The Gopher combo of Ashley Ellis-Milan (9 points / 6 rebounds) and Zoe Harper (10 points / 5 rebounds) outscored and outrebounded Big Ten Player of the Year Jantel Lavender (14 points / 8 rebounds)
McCoy Sets the Standard in Gopher History
Brittany McCoy is the first and only player in Minnesota women’s basketball history to tally 100 or more assists in every season of a Golden Gopher career. She has 1114 assists in her senior season, averaging a career-best 4.6 assists a game. McCoy is ranked second in the Big Ten in the statistic.
The Leader from the Line
Jackie Voigt She has made 33-of-36 in Big Ten play for 91.7 percent, topping the Conference stats. On the season, Voigt is shooting 89.6 percent from the line with just four missed attempts (43-48. The Gophers’ single-season record (need 100 attempts to be eligible) is 84.7 percent by Lindsay Whalen in 2002-03. At one point earlier this season, Voigt made 22 consecutive free throws.
Harper OK with Life on the Road
Zoe Harper has proven to be one of the Gophers’ most reliable players on the road this season. Harper, a 6-3 post, has averaged 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in Minnesota’s Big Ten road games this season. She tallied double figures in the Illinois, Northwestern and Ohio State road games.
Impressive Career Numbers for Ash
Senior Ashley Ellis-Milan has 826 caroms in her Gopher career. She is 22 rebounds from moving into the Golden Gophers’ top five on the all-time rebounding list. Ellis-Milan also has 1.241 career points.
One Point at a Time is a Good Thing for Gophers
A key to the Golden Gophers’ offense is getting to the free throw line. In 12 wins this season, the Gophers attempted an average of 24.9 per game. In comparison, Minnesota has attempted a total of just 206 free throws, an average of 15.8 attempts, in its 13 losses. A good share (15 percent) of the Gophers’ free throws in losses come in the Wisconsin game (31).
Brittany McCoy Building on Starts Record
Senior Brittany McCoy made her 122nd career start of her Gopher career in the game versus Ohio State adding to her Minnesota record for consecutive start. She first set the record on Jan. 7 versus Northwestern. McCoy has started every game of her high school and college basketball career. McCoy passed Lindsay Whalen (2001-04), who started 111 straight during her Gopher career, to establish the new mark.
The next record on the horizon is the career record for games started which is 126 and has been held for 20 years by Linda Roberts (1978-81). McCoy would hit that milestone in the Big Ten Tournament.
McCoy also has the chance to become the Gophers’ first player to start every game during a four-year career.
Scouting Iowa
Iowa is perhaps the hottest team in the Big Ten of late. The Hawkeyes,. decimated by injury early in the season, have regrouped and prospered winning six of their last seven games. Iowa brings a 14-11 overall record (7-7 in Big Ten play) into the game versus the Gophers. Kachine Alexander continues her fine all-around play, averaging 15.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Jaime Printy leads the Hawkeyes and all Big Ten rookies in scoring at 15.5 points an outing.
The Minnesota / Iowa Series
Iowa leads the series with Minnesota by a 41-22 margin, but the Gophers have won two of the last three meetings.
