University of Minnesota Athletics
Game Preview: South Carolina
12/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 9, 2016
The University of Minnesota (7-3) women's basketball team will face its second top-10 opponent of the season when it plays at No. 6 South Carolina (7-1) on Sunday, Dec. 11. The 2 p.m. CT game will be televised on SEC Network. The radio broadcast will air on KBEM 88.5 FM.
Here are five of the top notes about the Golden Gophers, who are on a three-game winning streak:
1 Minnesota was ranked 18th in the Dec. 9 RPI, the only Big Ten team in the top 20. Playing their strongest non-conference schedule in years, the Gophers have two wins against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams (Seton Hall and Army), three against 2016 WNIT qualifiers and two on the road. They have played one top-10, Sweet 16 team (Florida State) and face another Sunday on the road at South Carolina.
2 Minnesota's win at New Mexico on Tuesday was Marlene Stollings' 100th career victory as a head coach. In the next game, against Army West Point on Thursday, Stollings became the second-fastest head coach in program history to reach 50 career wins at Minnesota. She did so in 75 games. Stollings has posted three straight seasons of 20 or more wins, starting with her final year at VCU in 2013-14. The Gophers' 23 wins in Stollings' first season were their most in 10 years.
3 Minnesota is the only team with three of the Big Ten's top 14 scorers (through Dec. 8). Naismith Trophy Watch List honoree Carlie Wagner (20.7 ppg) ranks fourth and Kenisha Bell (16.7) 10th. Dec. 5 Big Ten Freshman of the Week Gadiva Hubbard leads conference freshmen with 15.3 points per game. Additionally, Bell ranks second in assists (6.0) and Wagner ranks third in 3-pointers per game (3.0). Wagner has scored 10 or more points in 44 consecutive games dating back to the 2015 NCAA tournament, and she ranks 15th on Minnesota's career scoring list with 1,211 points.
4 Jessie Edwards is leading the Big Ten at 2.5 blocks per game. She blocked a career-high eight shots against Army West Point, the most by one Gopher in a game since Amanda Zahui B. tallied 11 against Ohio State on March 6, 2015. Edwards was close to a triple-double against the Black Knights, with nine points and nine rebounds. With 66 career blocks, she is seven blocks away from entering Minnesota's all-time top 10.
5 The Gophers held Army West Point to 15 points on 4-of-35 shooting in the first half of Thursday night's game. This was the lowest single-half point total by a Minnesota opponent this season. Army's five points in the second quarter were the fewest in a quarter against the Gophers since the change in game format.
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
• South Carolina is 6-1 heading into its first home game in almost three weeks. The Gamecocks' last game was a road loss against Duke. They have three wins against ranked teams: Ohio State, Texas and Louisville.
• Head coach Dawn Staley is in her ninth season in Columbia. She has guided the Gamecocks to five NCAA apperances, including her fourth Sweet 16 last season.
• 2016 All-American and SEC Player of the Year A'ja Wilson is leading the South Carolina with a scoring average of 17.0 points per game. She blocks a conference-high 2.6 shots per game.
• The Gamecocks have three additional players averaging double figures: Kaela Davis (14.7), Allisha Gray (14.1) and Alaina Coates (13.9). Coates leads the team with 10.9 rebounds per contest.
•South Carolina leads the nation in free throws made per game, with 19.4.
COMING UP NEXT
Minnesota will be back at Williams Arena on Dec. 14 to host a noon game against Belmont. The Gophers will have one more non-conference game on Dec. 22, against Kent State at 7 p.m.
| Minnesota at No. 6 South Carolina | |
| Date / Time | Sunday, Dec. 11 | 2 p.m. CT |
| Location | Colonial Life Arena (Columbia, S.C.) |
| TV/Vido | SEC Network | Watch Online |
| Radio | KBEM 88.5 FM | Listen Online |
| Live Stats | |
| Live Updates | Click Here |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | South Carolina |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | South Carolina |
| Social Media | @GopherWBB | Facebook |
The University of Minnesota (7-3) women's basketball team will face its second top-10 opponent of the season when it plays at No. 6 South Carolina (7-1) on Sunday, Dec. 11. The 2 p.m. CT game will be televised on SEC Network. The radio broadcast will air on KBEM 88.5 FM.
Here are five of the top notes about the Golden Gophers, who are on a three-game winning streak:
1 Minnesota was ranked 18th in the Dec. 9 RPI, the only Big Ten team in the top 20. Playing their strongest non-conference schedule in years, the Gophers have two wins against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams (Seton Hall and Army), three against 2016 WNIT qualifiers and two on the road. They have played one top-10, Sweet 16 team (Florida State) and face another Sunday on the road at South Carolina.
2 Minnesota's win at New Mexico on Tuesday was Marlene Stollings' 100th career victory as a head coach. In the next game, against Army West Point on Thursday, Stollings became the second-fastest head coach in program history to reach 50 career wins at Minnesota. She did so in 75 games. Stollings has posted three straight seasons of 20 or more wins, starting with her final year at VCU in 2013-14. The Gophers' 23 wins in Stollings' first season were their most in 10 years.
3 Minnesota is the only team with three of the Big Ten's top 14 scorers (through Dec. 8). Naismith Trophy Watch List honoree Carlie Wagner (20.7 ppg) ranks fourth and Kenisha Bell (16.7) 10th. Dec. 5 Big Ten Freshman of the Week Gadiva Hubbard leads conference freshmen with 15.3 points per game. Additionally, Bell ranks second in assists (6.0) and Wagner ranks third in 3-pointers per game (3.0). Wagner has scored 10 or more points in 44 consecutive games dating back to the 2015 NCAA tournament, and she ranks 15th on Minnesota's career scoring list with 1,211 points.
4 Jessie Edwards is leading the Big Ten at 2.5 blocks per game. She blocked a career-high eight shots against Army West Point, the most by one Gopher in a game since Amanda Zahui B. tallied 11 against Ohio State on March 6, 2015. Edwards was close to a triple-double against the Black Knights, with nine points and nine rebounds. With 66 career blocks, she is seven blocks away from entering Minnesota's all-time top 10.
5 The Gophers held Army West Point to 15 points on 4-of-35 shooting in the first half of Thursday night's game. This was the lowest single-half point total by a Minnesota opponent this season. Army's five points in the second quarter were the fewest in a quarter against the Gophers since the change in game format.
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
• South Carolina is 6-1 heading into its first home game in almost three weeks. The Gamecocks' last game was a road loss against Duke. They have three wins against ranked teams: Ohio State, Texas and Louisville.
• Head coach Dawn Staley is in her ninth season in Columbia. She has guided the Gamecocks to five NCAA apperances, including her fourth Sweet 16 last season.
• 2016 All-American and SEC Player of the Year A'ja Wilson is leading the South Carolina with a scoring average of 17.0 points per game. She blocks a conference-high 2.6 shots per game.
• The Gamecocks have three additional players averaging double figures: Kaela Davis (14.7), Allisha Gray (14.1) and Alaina Coates (13.9). Coates leads the team with 10.9 rebounds per contest.
•South Carolina leads the nation in free throws made per game, with 19.4.
COMING UP NEXT
Minnesota will be back at Williams Arena on Dec. 14 to host a noon game against Belmont. The Gophers will have one more non-conference game on Dec. 22, against Kent State at 7 p.m.
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