University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Take on Terriers to Start 2015-16
11/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2015 
The Golden Gopher women's basketball team will begin its 2015-16 campaign with a home game against Wofford. Minnesota will play at 5:30 p.m. to kick off a doubleheader with the men's team. Fans who purchased tickets to either of the two games are eligible to receive free tickets to the other. Fans can also get free MetroTransit passes here.
Here are five things to watch as Minnesota starts its second season under head coach Marlene Stollings:
1 The Golden Gophers are coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance in six years. Minnesota went 23-10 (11-7) in head coach Marlene Stollings' first season in Minneapolis, their highest win total since the 2004-05 season. The Maroon and Gold's 11 conference victories were the most in six years. Playing in Stollings' fast-paced system, Minnesota set numerous program records for the season, including points (2,514), field goals (920), 3-point field goals (214), assists (582) and blocks (195). The Gophers were nationally ranked for three weeks (best at No. 21 on Jan. 19), marking their first time in the AP Poll in nine years.
2 Preseason All-Big Ten guard Rachel Banham will see her first game action since Dec. 10, 2014, when an ACL injury ended her season just 10 games into the schedule. Entering her fifth year of eligibility, Banham is 107 points away from setting a new Minnesota scoring record. She is in second place behind Lindsay Whalen's (2000-04) total of 2,285 career points. Banham already holds school records for career 3-point field goals (235), 3-point attempts (594) and field goal attempts (1,806).
3 Dating back to 1973-74 (the first season with game-by-game data available in the record book), the Gophers are 24-18 in season opening games. They have won six straight lid lifters, five of which have taken place at Williams Arena. Minnesota has won 14 of its last 15 openers, with the only loss in that span at No. 2 Stanford in 2008-09.
4 With the departure of All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year Amanda Zahui B. and fellow All-Big Ten First Team honoree Shae Kelley to the WNBA, head coach Marlene Stollings expects to play a four-guard lineup frequently in 2015-16. In addition to Rachel Banham, the Gophers return three guards who started at least 28 games last season in Mikayla Bailey, Shayne Mullaney and Carlie Wagner. Bailey led the team with 65 3-point baskets, Mullaney set a program record with an average of 7.5 assists per game and Wagner earned All-Big Ten Freshman accolades averaging 12.1 points.
5 On Wednesday, National Signing Day, four recruits signed National Letters of Intent to play for Minnesota. Gadiva Hubbard (Virginia Beach, Va.), twins Taiye and Kehinde Bello (Southfield, Mich.) and Jasmine Brunson (Queens, N.Y.) will be eligible to compete beginning in the 2016-17 season.
Scouting the Terriers
• Wofford went 8-22 in 2014-15, with a 3-11 record in the Southern Conference.
• An experienced team, the Terriers return all five starters from last season (three seniors and two juniors). The starters all had at least 200 points and were the team's top five scorers.
• Senior guard Jordan Frazier led the squad with an average of 14.8 points per game and led the SoCon with 74 steals (2.8 per game).
| Minnesota vs. Wofford | |
| Date / Time | Friday, November 13 | 5:30 p.m. |
| Location | Williams Arena - Directions |
| Tickets | MyGopherSports.com |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| Live Video | BTN Plus |
| Radio | 1500 ESPN | Listen Online |
| Live Stats | |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Wofford |
| Social Media | @GopherWBB | Facebook |
| Clips | New rules | Banham ready: Strib and Daily | Filling in for Zahui B. |
The Golden Gopher women's basketball team will begin its 2015-16 campaign with a home game against Wofford. Minnesota will play at 5:30 p.m. to kick off a doubleheader with the men's team. Fans who purchased tickets to either of the two games are eligible to receive free tickets to the other. Fans can also get free MetroTransit passes here.
Here are five things to watch as Minnesota starts its second season under head coach Marlene Stollings:
1 The Golden Gophers are coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance in six years. Minnesota went 23-10 (11-7) in head coach Marlene Stollings' first season in Minneapolis, their highest win total since the 2004-05 season. The Maroon and Gold's 11 conference victories were the most in six years. Playing in Stollings' fast-paced system, Minnesota set numerous program records for the season, including points (2,514), field goals (920), 3-point field goals (214), assists (582) and blocks (195). The Gophers were nationally ranked for three weeks (best at No. 21 on Jan. 19), marking their first time in the AP Poll in nine years.
2 Preseason All-Big Ten guard Rachel Banham will see her first game action since Dec. 10, 2014, when an ACL injury ended her season just 10 games into the schedule. Entering her fifth year of eligibility, Banham is 107 points away from setting a new Minnesota scoring record. She is in second place behind Lindsay Whalen's (2000-04) total of 2,285 career points. Banham already holds school records for career 3-point field goals (235), 3-point attempts (594) and field goal attempts (1,806).
3 Dating back to 1973-74 (the first season with game-by-game data available in the record book), the Gophers are 24-18 in season opening games. They have won six straight lid lifters, five of which have taken place at Williams Arena. Minnesota has won 14 of its last 15 openers, with the only loss in that span at No. 2 Stanford in 2008-09.
4 With the departure of All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year Amanda Zahui B. and fellow All-Big Ten First Team honoree Shae Kelley to the WNBA, head coach Marlene Stollings expects to play a four-guard lineup frequently in 2015-16. In addition to Rachel Banham, the Gophers return three guards who started at least 28 games last season in Mikayla Bailey, Shayne Mullaney and Carlie Wagner. Bailey led the team with 65 3-point baskets, Mullaney set a program record with an average of 7.5 assists per game and Wagner earned All-Big Ten Freshman accolades averaging 12.1 points.
5 On Wednesday, National Signing Day, four recruits signed National Letters of Intent to play for Minnesota. Gadiva Hubbard (Virginia Beach, Va.), twins Taiye and Kehinde Bello (Southfield, Mich.) and Jasmine Brunson (Queens, N.Y.) will be eligible to compete beginning in the 2016-17 season.
Scouting the Terriers
• Wofford went 8-22 in 2014-15, with a 3-11 record in the Southern Conference.
• An experienced team, the Terriers return all five starters from last season (three seniors and two juniors). The starters all had at least 200 points and were the team's top five scorers.
• Senior guard Jordan Frazier led the squad with an average of 14.8 points per game and led the SoCon with 74 steals (2.8 per game).
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