University of Minnesota Athletics
Game Preview: Gophers at San Diego
12/8/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 8, 2017
The University of Minnesota wraps up a two-game road trip at San Diego on Sunday, Dec. 10. The Gophers (9-1) and Toreros (5-4) will tip off at 2:30 p.m. CT. Live coverage will be available on TheW.TV and ALT 93.3 FM.
Here are five things to know going into the game:
1 Carlie Wagner is coming off a season-high 31-point game at Georgetown. The senior guard shot 12-of-14 from the field, going 7-for-8 from 3-point range to tie her career high behind the arc. She has five career 30-point games, including her best of 38 points at Michigan last season. Wagner ranks seventh on Minnesota's all-time scoring list with 1,781 points. On Thursday she moved into second on the 3-pointer list with 232 total, behind only Rachel Banham (354).
2 Minnesota shot a season-best 52.6 percent against the Hoyas, which included a 72-percent second half. The Gophers' field goal percentage of .443 ranks fifth in the Big Ten, as does their .358 3-point percentage. The Maroon and Gold's scoring average of 85.7 points per game rates 12th in the nation and second in the Big Ten. Rebounding (margin of 7.8 ranks fourth in conference), sharing the ball (17.1 assists per game, fourth in Big Ten) and taking care of the ball (12.7 turnovers per game, 20th lowest in the nation and second in the Big Ten) have been keys to success for the Gophers.
3 Through Thursday's games, Minnesota had the best winning percentage (.900) in the Big Ten and was one of only two remaining one-loss teams. Reaching 9-1, the Gophers are off to their best 10-game start since doing the same during Marlene Stollings' first season in 2014-15. They notched their third best undefeated start in program history by winning their first seven games in a row.
4 Kenisha Bell, on the Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List for the nation's top collegiate player, currently leads the Gophers with averages of 19.4 points and 6.3 assists, and has three double-doubles. She scored 21 points at Georgetown. Bell, a 2017 Big Ten Honorable Mention selection, was also named to the Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard) watch list.
5 Wagner, a two-time All-Big Ten Second Team honoree, was on the All-Big Ten Preseason Team. Since Stollings' arrival, the Gophers have had two Big Ten Players of the Year (Amanda Zahui B. 2015, Banham 2016), three First Team selections, two consensus Second Team selections, one All-Freshman award and one Honorable Mention. Zahui B. and Banham went on to make Minnesota the only team besides UConn to have top-five picks in both their years' WNBA Drafts.
SCOUTING THE TOREROS
• San Diego is 5-4 coming off a loss to No. 25 California on Thursday night. The Toreros were picked to finish fourth in the WCC preseason poll.
• Head coach Cindy Fisher recently picked up her 300th career victory overall, and is in her 13th year leading the Toreros. They have had five 20-win seasons in the past six years.
• Senior guard Aubrey Ward-El is San Diego's leading scorer at 15.2 points per game. She had 14 against Cal.
• Three other Toreros average double figures: Maya Hood (11.4), Alexandra Hagen (11.0) and Sydney Williams (11.0). Hood, a sixth-year senior, is the team's leading rebounder at 6.0 per contest.
| Minnesota at San Diego | |
| Date / Time | Sunday, Dec. 10 | 2:30 p.m. CT |
| Location | Jenny Craig Pavilion (San Diego, Calif.) |
| Radio | 93.3 ALT FM | Listen Online | iHeartRadio App |
| Live Video | TheW.tv |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | San Diego |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | San Diego |
| Social Media | @GopherWBB | Facebook | Instagram |
The University of Minnesota wraps up a two-game road trip at San Diego on Sunday, Dec. 10. The Gophers (9-1) and Toreros (5-4) will tip off at 2:30 p.m. CT. Live coverage will be available on TheW.TV and ALT 93.3 FM.
Here are five things to know going into the game:
1 Carlie Wagner is coming off a season-high 31-point game at Georgetown. The senior guard shot 12-of-14 from the field, going 7-for-8 from 3-point range to tie her career high behind the arc. She has five career 30-point games, including her best of 38 points at Michigan last season. Wagner ranks seventh on Minnesota's all-time scoring list with 1,781 points. On Thursday she moved into second on the 3-pointer list with 232 total, behind only Rachel Banham (354).
2 Minnesota shot a season-best 52.6 percent against the Hoyas, which included a 72-percent second half. The Gophers' field goal percentage of .443 ranks fifth in the Big Ten, as does their .358 3-point percentage. The Maroon and Gold's scoring average of 85.7 points per game rates 12th in the nation and second in the Big Ten. Rebounding (margin of 7.8 ranks fourth in conference), sharing the ball (17.1 assists per game, fourth in Big Ten) and taking care of the ball (12.7 turnovers per game, 20th lowest in the nation and second in the Big Ten) have been keys to success for the Gophers.
3 Through Thursday's games, Minnesota had the best winning percentage (.900) in the Big Ten and was one of only two remaining one-loss teams. Reaching 9-1, the Gophers are off to their best 10-game start since doing the same during Marlene Stollings' first season in 2014-15. They notched their third best undefeated start in program history by winning their first seven games in a row.
4 Kenisha Bell, on the Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List for the nation's top collegiate player, currently leads the Gophers with averages of 19.4 points and 6.3 assists, and has three double-doubles. She scored 21 points at Georgetown. Bell, a 2017 Big Ten Honorable Mention selection, was also named to the Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard) watch list.
5 Wagner, a two-time All-Big Ten Second Team honoree, was on the All-Big Ten Preseason Team. Since Stollings' arrival, the Gophers have had two Big Ten Players of the Year (Amanda Zahui B. 2015, Banham 2016), three First Team selections, two consensus Second Team selections, one All-Freshman award and one Honorable Mention. Zahui B. and Banham went on to make Minnesota the only team besides UConn to have top-five picks in both their years' WNBA Drafts.
SCOUTING THE TOREROS
• San Diego is 5-4 coming off a loss to No. 25 California on Thursday night. The Toreros were picked to finish fourth in the WCC preseason poll.
• Head coach Cindy Fisher recently picked up her 300th career victory overall, and is in her 13th year leading the Toreros. They have had five 20-win seasons in the past six years.
• Senior guard Aubrey Ward-El is San Diego's leading scorer at 15.2 points per game. She had 14 against Cal.
• Three other Toreros average double figures: Maya Hood (11.4), Alexandra Hagen (11.0) and Sydney Williams (11.0). Hood, a sixth-year senior, is the team's leading rebounder at 6.0 per contest.
Players Mentioned
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