University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, December 12
Williams Arena
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Coppin State
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
No. 13 Gophers Welcome Coppin State to Williams Arena Wednesday
12/11/2018 3:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- No. 13/16 (AP/Coaches) Minnesota (9-0) plays in its penultimate non-conference game Wednesday night when it hosts Coppin State (0-7) at 7 p.m.
The game will be available to stream online on BTN Plus and can also be heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 FM KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• One of 18 teams in the country still undefeated, the Golden Gophers are looking to start 10-0 for the third time in program history. The only better undefeated starts came in 2003-04 (15-0) and 2002-03 (12-0), head coach Lindsay Whalen's junior and senior seasons, respectively. Whalen is just one of two coaches in program history to win at least her first five games. The other to do it was her former coach, Pam Borton, whose first season was in 2002-03.
• The team's current nine-game win streak is the sixth longest in program history and is the longest since a 10-game streak that lasted from Nov. of 2014 to Jan. of 2015. Nationally, it's tied for the fourth longest active win streak behind Indiana, which has won 15 straight, as well as Louisville and N.C. State, both winners of 10 in a row.
• Minnesota enters Wednesday night's game ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll. Boasting a 6-2 record all-time as the No. 13 team, it's the team's highest ranking since being ranked 11th on Feb. 6, 2006. In addition, Minnesota was No. 16 in the Coaches Poll, its highest ranking since also coming in at No. 16 on Feb. 13, 2006.
• The Gophers have won all seven home games this season. Dating to last season, the team has won 13 of its past 14 contests at Williams Arena, including four Top-25 wins. All-time, Minnesota boasts a .697 winning percentage at The Barn (345-150).
• Sophomore Destiny Pitts is coming off a career-high 35 points Sunday in the Gophers' comeback win at Boston College. She shot 9-of-13 from the floor, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range, and was 11-of-12 at the free throw line. After a relatively slow start to the season (by her standards), Pitts has been on fire in the last two games, shooting over 63 percent from the floor, close to 65 percent from 3-point range and over 91 percent from the free throw line.
SERIES HISTORY WITH COPPIN STATE
RECAPPING THE WIN AT BOSTON COLLEGE
• Destiny Pitts scored a career-high 35 points to spark Minnesota to a 77-69 comeback win at Boston College Sunday. Pitts scored 15 points in the first half and 20 in the second half. In the fourth quarter, all 11 of her points came at the free throw line, including 10-of-10 in the final 42 seconds, to help keep the Gophers ahead of the Eagles.
• Pitts was one of three Gophers in double figures as Annalese Lamke scored 13 points for the second straight game and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. In addition, Jasmine Brunson added 11 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter, and dished out five assists.
• Minnesota led 20-17 after the first quarter and 36-29 at intermission, but Boston College outscored the Gophers 25-17 in the third quarter to hold a 54-53 lead through three quarters.
• Boston College extended its lead to 60-56 with 7:38 remaining, but that would be the last lead the Eagles would hold as the Gophers went on an 11-0 run over the next 6:53.
• The Golden Gophers currently lead the Big Ten and rank fifth in the country in scoring defense by allowing just 51.2 points per game. For comparison, last season Minnesota finished the year ranked 335th by allowing 74.8 points per game.
• Additionally, the Gophers are ninth in the country in rebound margin (12.8), 11th in rebounds per game (47.0), 14th in opponent field goal percentage (33.0), 15th in defensive rebounds per game (31) and 31st in scoring margin (+20.0).
• Some of the advanced metrics, via HerHoopStats.com, also illustrate how strong the Gopher defense has been this year. Minnesota is second in the nation in both opponent points per scoring attempt (shots+FT trips) at 0.77 and opponent points per play (shots+/FT trips+turnover) at 0.61, and is fourth in opponent points per 100 possessions at 72.3.
• The 461 points allowed by Minnesota through the first nine games of the season is the lowest opponent point total since 1976-77 (450).
• When the Gophers beat Incarnate Word, 75-39, on Dec. 5 it was the first time since Nov. 26, 2013, that they had held an opponent under 40 points.
• The Gophers held their first five opponents to 53 points or fewer, the longest stretch of such games since the 2004-05 season when they also did it in five straight.
The game will be available to stream online on BTN Plus and can also be heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 FM KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• One of 18 teams in the country still undefeated, the Golden Gophers are looking to start 10-0 for the third time in program history. The only better undefeated starts came in 2003-04 (15-0) and 2002-03 (12-0), head coach Lindsay Whalen's junior and senior seasons, respectively. Whalen is just one of two coaches in program history to win at least her first five games. The other to do it was her former coach, Pam Borton, whose first season was in 2002-03.
• The team's current nine-game win streak is the sixth longest in program history and is the longest since a 10-game streak that lasted from Nov. of 2014 to Jan. of 2015. Nationally, it's tied for the fourth longest active win streak behind Indiana, which has won 15 straight, as well as Louisville and N.C. State, both winners of 10 in a row.
• Minnesota enters Wednesday night's game ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll. Boasting a 6-2 record all-time as the No. 13 team, it's the team's highest ranking since being ranked 11th on Feb. 6, 2006. In addition, Minnesota was No. 16 in the Coaches Poll, its highest ranking since also coming in at No. 16 on Feb. 13, 2006.
• The Gophers have won all seven home games this season. Dating to last season, the team has won 13 of its past 14 contests at Williams Arena, including four Top-25 wins. All-time, Minnesota boasts a .697 winning percentage at The Barn (345-150).
• Sophomore Destiny Pitts is coming off a career-high 35 points Sunday in the Gophers' comeback win at Boston College. She shot 9-of-13 from the floor, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range, and was 11-of-12 at the free throw line. After a relatively slow start to the season (by her standards), Pitts has been on fire in the last two games, shooting over 63 percent from the floor, close to 65 percent from 3-point range and over 91 percent from the free throw line.
SERIES HISTORY WITH COPPIN STATE
• Minnesota and Coppin State will meet for the first time on Wednesday, one of six new opponents for the Gophers this year. The Gophers have already beaten the other five teams: New Hampshire, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Cornell, Syracuse and Incarnate Word.
• In its history, the Gophers are 1-2 against teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, though none of those games have taken place since the 1998-99 season. Minnesota has never played a MEAC team at home.
• The Gophers' most recent meeting with a MEAC team came on Dec. 2, 1998, with a 53-51 loss at Howard, while the team's lone win against the conference came on Dec. 19, 1986 in a 73-60 victory at South Carolina State. The first meeting for Minnesota against the MEAC took place on Dec. 22, 1984 when the Gophers lost to Florida A&M, 66-57, at a tournament in Plainview, Texas.
• In its history, the Gophers are 1-2 against teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, though none of those games have taken place since the 1998-99 season. Minnesota has never played a MEAC team at home.
• The Gophers' most recent meeting with a MEAC team came on Dec. 2, 1998, with a 53-51 loss at Howard, while the team's lone win against the conference came on Dec. 19, 1986 in a 73-60 victory at South Carolina State. The first meeting for Minnesota against the MEAC took place on Dec. 22, 1984 when the Gophers lost to Florida A&M, 66-57, at a tournament in Plainview, Texas.
RECAPPING THE WIN AT BOSTON COLLEGE
• Destiny Pitts scored a career-high 35 points to spark Minnesota to a 77-69 comeback win at Boston College Sunday. Pitts scored 15 points in the first half and 20 in the second half. In the fourth quarter, all 11 of her points came at the free throw line, including 10-of-10 in the final 42 seconds, to help keep the Gophers ahead of the Eagles.
• Pitts was one of three Gophers in double figures as Annalese Lamke scored 13 points for the second straight game and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. In addition, Jasmine Brunson added 11 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter, and dished out five assists.
• Minnesota led 20-17 after the first quarter and 36-29 at intermission, but Boston College outscored the Gophers 25-17 in the third quarter to hold a 54-53 lead through three quarters.
• Boston College extended its lead to 60-56 with 7:38 remaining, but that would be the last lead the Eagles would hold as the Gophers went on an 11-0 run over the next 6:53.
GOPHERS DEFENSE STRONG TO START SEASON
• Minnesota's scoring defense has been stellar so far this season and is a big reason the team is 9-0.• The Golden Gophers currently lead the Big Ten and rank fifth in the country in scoring defense by allowing just 51.2 points per game. For comparison, last season Minnesota finished the year ranked 335th by allowing 74.8 points per game.
• Additionally, the Gophers are ninth in the country in rebound margin (12.8), 11th in rebounds per game (47.0), 14th in opponent field goal percentage (33.0), 15th in defensive rebounds per game (31) and 31st in scoring margin (+20.0).
• Some of the advanced metrics, via HerHoopStats.com, also illustrate how strong the Gopher defense has been this year. Minnesota is second in the nation in both opponent points per scoring attempt (shots+FT trips) at 0.77 and opponent points per play (shots+/FT trips+turnover) at 0.61, and is fourth in opponent points per 100 possessions at 72.3.
• The 461 points allowed by Minnesota through the first nine games of the season is the lowest opponent point total since 1976-77 (450).
• When the Gophers beat Incarnate Word, 75-39, on Dec. 5 it was the first time since Nov. 26, 2013, that they had held an opponent under 40 points.
• The Gophers held their first five opponents to 53 points or fewer, the longest stretch of such games since the 2004-05 season when they also did it in five straight.
BELLO DOMINATING THE GLASS
• Through Monday's games, Taiye Bello was second in the country in offensive rebounds per game (6), third in total rebounds per game (13.4) and fourth in total rebounds (121). She is also 23rd nationally in defensive rebounds per game (8) and 33rd in double-doubles (4).
• Bello is the only player in the country to have four games this year with at least 18 rebounds.
• She posted double-doubles in the first three games this season. She was the first Minnesota player to have three straight double-doubles since Amanda Zahui B. ended the 2014-15 season with four in a row. Bello has eight in her career, with Minnesota going 8-0 in those games.
• Bello finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds in the season opener vs. New Hampshire. She followed that up with 11 points and 16 rebounds at Xavier and had her double-double by halftime with 10 points and 13 rebounds in the first 20 minutes. Next game out against San Diego, she had 13 points and 18 rebounds.
• Though she didn't have a double-double against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, she did have a career-high 19 rebounds, which were the most by a Gopher since Zahui B. had 22 against DePaul in the NCAA Tournament on March 20, 2015.
• Arguably Bello's best performance came against No. 12 Syracuse when she went for a career-high 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, including 10 offensive.
• She followed that with 18 rebounds against Air Force, 10 of which came in the first quarter.
• Bello is the only player in the country to have four games this year with at least 18 rebounds.
• She posted double-doubles in the first three games this season. She was the first Minnesota player to have three straight double-doubles since Amanda Zahui B. ended the 2014-15 season with four in a row. Bello has eight in her career, with Minnesota going 8-0 in those games.
• Bello finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds in the season opener vs. New Hampshire. She followed that up with 11 points and 16 rebounds at Xavier and had her double-double by halftime with 10 points and 13 rebounds in the first 20 minutes. Next game out against San Diego, she had 13 points and 18 rebounds.
• Though she didn't have a double-double against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, she did have a career-high 19 rebounds, which were the most by a Gopher since Zahui B. had 22 against DePaul in the NCAA Tournament on March 20, 2015.
• Arguably Bello's best performance came against No. 12 Syracuse when she went for a career-high 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, including 10 offensive.
• She followed that with 18 rebounds against Air Force, 10 of which came in the first quarter.
GOPHERS PLAYING WITH THE LEAD
• The Golden Gophers have spent very little time playing from behind this season. Of the 360 minutes played through nine games this year, Minnesota has played with the lead for 308:20 and trailed for just a total of 35:13.
• In five of the nine games this year the Gophers have led wire-to-wire. The majority of the team's time trailing came against San Diego (20:13), while the rest was versus Boston College (10:15), No. 12 Syracuse (3:07) and Air Force (1:38).
• In five of the nine games this year the Gophers have led wire-to-wire. The majority of the team's time trailing came against San Diego (20:13), while the rest was versus Boston College (10:15), No. 12 Syracuse (3:07) and Air Force (1:38).
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