University of Minnesota Athletics
Game Preview: Kent State
12/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| Minnesota vs. Kent State | |
| Date / Time | Thursday, Dec. 22 | 7 p.m. |
| Location | Williams Arena - Directions |
| Tickets | Click Here |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| TV/Live Video | BTN Plus |
| Radio | 1500 ESPN | Listen Online |
| Live Stats | |
| Live Update | Game Day Live |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Kent State |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Kent State |
| Links | Video: Sights and Sounds |
| Social Media | @GopherWBB | Facebook |
The University of Minnesota (8-4) will conclude its non-conference schedule with a game against Kent State (6-5) on Wednesday, Dec. 22. The 7 p.m. game will be streamed on BTN Plus and can be heard on the Gopher Radio Network (1500 ESPN in the Twin Cities). Jessie Edwards will be the featured Gopher in postgame autographs.
Here are some of the Golden Gophers' top notes as they conclude non-league play:
1 Center Jessie Edwards was named to the Dec. 19 Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll after scoring a career-high 29 points against Belmont last Wednesday. Edwards shot 11-of-15 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line, scoring 11 of her points in the fourth quarter in a close victory. Edwards has increased production in all categories from last year's overall and early-season non-conference totals. She is averaging 8.9 points/7.9 rebounds/2.3 blocks/.690 field goal percentage/25.5 minutes compared to 6.1 ppg/5.7 rpg/1.3 bpg/.580 FG/18.6 mpg overall and 6.5 ppg/5.5 rpg/1.5 bpg/.569 FG/16.7 mpg in pre-Big Ten play non-conference games last year. With 69 career blocks, Edwards needs four more to tie for 10th in Minnesota history.
2 Edwards is putting up those numbers against Minnesota's toughest non-conference competition in years. The Gophers own the Big Ten's best RPI at No. 13 in the Dec. 19 ratings. Minnesota has beaten three 2016 NCAA Tournament qualifiers, three 2016 WNIT teams and two true road opponents this year. The Gophers have faced two top-10, 2016 Sweet 16 teams.
3 The Gophers are 31-6 at Williams Arena under Marlene Stollings. This includes wins over four ranked teams, most notably last year's overtime victory against No. 5 Ohio State. Minnesota is 6-1 at home this season, with five of those wins coming against teams who played in the 2016 postseason. The Gophers' next home game after Thursday will be against Maryland on Jan. 1 and feature a jersey retirement ceremony for Big Ten all-time leading scorer Rachel Banham.
4 Gadiva Hubbard leads Big Ten freshmen with a scoring average of 13.8 points per game. The guard has started eight of the last nine games and has reached double figures eight times this year.
5 Carlie Wagner was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List. The junior is averaging 19.1 points per game and follows Rachel Banham (2016 semifinalist) and Amanda Zahui B. (2015 finalist) as Gophers in consideration for one of the nation's top college basketball awards.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN FLASHES
• Kent State is 6-5, and the Gophers will be the Golden Flashes' second consecutive Big Ten opponent. Kent State lost 83-48 at Iowa on Tuesday.
• Head coach Todd Starkey is in his first season at Kent State. He is a face familiar to Minnesota, as he spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana.
• Under Starkey, the Golden Flashes have already equaled their win total from all of last year, a season in which the Gophers won in Kent on Nov. 24.
• Several team leaders the Gophers faced last fall return this year. Cottage Grove, Minn., native Larissa Lurken averages a team-high 22.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. Jordan Korinek chips in 11.9 points per game, and fellow returner Nadiyah Cross has 53 assists. Freshman Ali Poole (7.5 ppg) has had an impact.
COMING UP NEXT
The Gophers open Big Ten play at Ohio State on Dec. 28. They will return home to host Maryland on Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. Rachel Banham, the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer, will have her Minnesota jersey retired at the game. Banham will sign autographs before the game, and fans will receive free replica banners on a first come, first served basis.
