University of Minnesota Athletics
Game Preview: Gophers vs. Nebraska
12/30/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| Minnesota (1-0, 12-2) vs. Nebraska (0-1, 9-5) | |
| Date / Time | Sunday, Dec. 31 // 2 p.m. |
| Location | Williams Arena - Directions |
| Tickets | Click Here |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| TV/Live Video | No TV // BTN Plus |
| Radio | 93.3 ALT FM // Listen Online // iHeart Radio App |
| Live Stats | |
| Live Updates | Game Day Live |
| Notes | Minnesota // Nebraska |
| Official Sites | Minnesota // Nebraska |
| Social Media | @GopherWBB | Facebook | Instagram |
Dec. 30, 2017
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team (12-2, 1-0) will host the Nebraska Cornhuskers for its Big Ten home opener on Sunday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m.
The Gophers opened Big Ten play with a 90-63 victory at Northwestern. This Sunday's game is the Gophers Daddy Daughter Game and fans are encouraged to wear gold to the game for a gold out.
Here are five things to know before tipoff:
1. Carlie Wagner and Kenisha Bell have been the Gophers' top two scorers for two seasons in a row. Bell, on the watch list for the Citizen Naismith Trophy (top player) and Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard), leads the team with averages of 21.1 points and 6.5 assists per game, which ranks 15th in the NCAA and first in the B1G. She has scored 141 points over the span of the Gophers last six games and has scored at least 20 points in the last five games. Wagner, a Preseason All-Big Ten honoree, 16 points at Northwestern to move into fifth all-time on Minnesota's career scoring list (1,856). Wagner is second on the 3-point list (246) at Minnesota and is averaging 18.6 points per game this season.
2. Minnesota's scoring average of 87.8 points per game ranks third in the Big Ten and ninth in the nation. They are second in the Big Ten in rebounds and rebounds per game (45.36) and commit the second-fewest turnovers (12.4) per game. The Gophers' have attempted 299 free throws (third in the B1G) and have made 224 (second in the Big Ten and fifth in the NCAA). Minnesota's scoring margin (+18.9) is fourth in the conference.
3. The Gophers are 7-0 at Williams Arena this season. They are 46-10 at home during head coach Marlene Stollings' tenure. Minnesota's 7-0 start overall this season was the third best in program history.
4. Destiny Pitts has recorded dobule-figure points eight times this season and has four double-doubles. She recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds in the first Big Ten game of her career at Northwestern. She also hit six three pointers in that game for the second time this season. The three-time B1G Freshman of the Week honoree scored a late game layup against UC Riverside to put the Gophers into triple-digits for the fourth time this season.
5. Minnesota calls the charity stripe and the three-point line home this season, ranking fifth nationally and second in the B1G in free-throws made (224). The Gophers' 74.9 free-throw percentageanks fourth in the B1G. From behind the arc, Minnesota is averaging 9.2 three-point field goals per game ranking second in the B1G and 24th in the nation.
SCOUTING THE CORNHUSKERS
• Nebraska is 9-5 on the season and 0-1 in the Big Ten. They are coming off a 73-61 setback to No. 12 Ohio State on Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. Junior Maddie Simon and freshman
Kate Cain led the Huskers with 14 points apiece, while sophomore Hannah Whitish added 12 points.
• Head coach Amy Williams is in her 2nd season at Nebraska.
• Freshman center Kate Cain has been a force for Nebraska. She leads the Big Ten and ranks No. 3 nationally with 52 blocks, needing just two blocks to tie
Nebraska's freshman record of 54 blocks.
