University of Minnesota Athletics
Game Preview: Detroit Mercy
12/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| Minnesota vs. Detroit Mercy | |
| Date / Time | Saturday, Dec. 3 | 2 p.m. |
| Location | Williams Arena - Directions |
| Tickets | Click Here |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| TV/Live Video | BTN Plus (Student U) |
| Radio | 1500 ESPN | Listen Online |
| Live Stats | |
| Live Update | Game Day Live |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Detroit Mercy |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Detroit Mercy |
| Links | Kenisha Bell Q&A | Gophers in Bimini |
| Social Media | @GopherWBB | Facebook |
The University of Minnesota (4-3) women's basketball team hosts Detroit Mercy (3-4) on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. Live video of the game will be available via BTN Plus. The radio broadcast will air on 1500 ESPN.
Those planning to attend the game should plan ahead for a busy weekend on campus. Other events impacting traffic and parking include the NCAA Volleyball Tournament, Gopher hockey and a large swim meet at the Aquatic Center across the street from Williams Arena.
Palma Kaposi will be the Gophers' featured player in postgame autographs.
Here are five things to know before the game:
1 Sophomore Kenisha Bell is leading the Big Ten with 6.7 assists per game. She has recorded one double-double, with 10 points and 10 assists against Georgetown. Also among Big Ten leaders are junior Carlie Wagner, who is averaging 20.3 points (fourth in the conference) and 3.1 3-pointers (third) per game, and Gadiva Hubbard, who ranks second among conference freshmen with 13.0 points per game. All three average double figures for the Gophers.
2 Wagner, who was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List, continues to move up in the Minnesota record books. On Wednesday, she brought her career scoring total to 1,146 points, passing 2015 Big Ten Player of the Year, No. 2 draft pick and current New York Liberty center Amanda Zahui B. for 16th place. Wagner also moved up the career 3-pointer list, and is in sixth place ahead of 2016 graduate Mikayla Bailey with 146. Wagner's 62 games scoring in double figures (including 41 in a row) rank fifth.
3 The Gophers have tallied 10 or more steals in three of seven games this year, against Harvard (14), Seton Hall (14) and No. 8 Florida State on Wednesday (10). Minnesota recorded double-digit takeaways in five games all of last season. Gadiva Hubbard (13) and Kenisha Bell (11) are the team's leaders in steals. Hubbard notched five steals in her debut against Harvard.
4 Head coach Marlene Stollings has the Gophers playing their strongest schedule in recent years, with six 2016 NCAA Tournament teams and three WNIT teams (first three wins of the season) on the non-conference schedule. (More on p. 2.) Minnesota showed improvement in the second half of Wednesday's loss to No. 8 Florida State, holding the Seminoles to 19 points (fewest allowed by Minnesota in a half this year) and 21.1-percent shooting in the final two quarters. FSU's two points in the fourth quarter were the fewest the Gophers have allowed in a quarter since the change in game format last year.
5 The Gophers are averaging 76.6 points per game, ranking fourth in the Big Ten. Their season-high 103-point total in the opener against Harvard was the seventh triple-digit game in Stollings' tenure. Minnesota averaged a program-record 83.6 points per game last season.
SCOUTING THE TITANS
• Detroit Mercy (3-4) is coming off two tight games, beating Delaware 66-64 before losing 55-54 to George Mason.
• Head coach Bernard Scott is in his second season with the Titans. Last year he guided them to their first finish of .500 or better in three years as they went 15-15 (11-7 Horizon League).
• Returning All-Horizon League guard Rosanna Reynolds leads Detroit Mercy with averages of 15.3 points and 5.3 assists per game. Brianne Cohen, last year's Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year, adds 12.6 points per game.
• Last year's Titans set a program record with 234 3-pointers. Haleigh Ristovski (15) and Nicole Urbanick (14) have been their top outside threats this season.
COMING UP NEXT
The Gophers will go on the road to face New Mexico on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. CT. The game will stream live for free via the Mountain West Network. Minnesota will return home to face Army West Point on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. That game will air on BTN.
