University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Chattanooga
Gophers Edge Mocs, 63-62
11/29/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
 |
|  | |||||||||||||
| 63 | Box Score | 62 |
Nov. 29, 2013
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rachel Banham scored a season-high 36 points as the University of Minnesota (6-1) women's basketball team defeated Chattanooga (4-2), 63-62. Banham also passed Debbie Hunter (1,363 points) on Minnesota's career scoring list to move into 10th all-time. She currently has 1,389 points.
The Gophers led by as much as 14 in the first half, but the Mocs came back to tie it at 28 at the break. The teams traded leads throughout the second half, with neither team leading by more than four points.
Banham put Minnesota ahead for good with a basket at the 1:35 mark to make it 60-59. A three-point play by Banham on the next drive extended the lead to four. Chattanooga's Taylor Hall scored with 35 seconds left and cut the lead to 63-61.
Chattanooga grabbed a rebound on a Gopher miss and called timeout with a few seconds remaining. Tatianna Jackson broke free on the inbounds play, and Sari Noga fouled her to prevent a game-tying layup. Jackson made the first free throw, but missed the second, securing the Minnesota victory.
Banham tallied 14 points in the first period, then poured in 22 in the second half. She shot 11-for-19 (3-of-3 from three-point range) on the afternoon and made 11 of her 12 free throw attempts.
Minnesota shot .545 (6-for-11) from three-point range. Noga and Banham each made three. Kayla Hirt also added nine points for the Gophers.
Amanda Zahui B. tied her career high with 13 rebounds. As a team, Minnesota outrebounded Chattanooga 40-38.
Taylor Hall led the Mocs with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Jackson added 16 points and six rebounds.
Minnesota will continue tournament play against Colorado State on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. CT. The game can be heard on the radio at 88.5 Jazz FM.
