University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, December 12
Williams Arena
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
84
vs
52
Coppin State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coppin St. | 19 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 52 |
| Minnesota | 29 | 21 | 15 | 19 | 84 |
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Minnesota 10-0 After Taking Care of Coppin State
12/12/2018 10:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- No. 13/16 Minnesota improved to 10-0 on the season with an 84-52 victory over Coppin State (0-8) Wednesday night at Williams Arena.
The 10-0 start is the third best in program history behind a 15-0 run to open the 2003-04 season and a 12-0 mark to begin the 2002-03 campaign. Additionally, the team's 10-game winning streak is tied for the fifth longest in program history.
Senior Kenisha Bell was one of three in double figures for Minnesota, leading all scorers with 20 points for her fifth 20-point game of the season. She was 7-of-12 from the floor and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line. Bell added five assists, four steals and a pair of rebounds.
Sophomore Destiny Pitts continued her hot shooting to finish with 14 points and four rebounds. She was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, including hitting all four attempts from behind the 3-point line. Over the last three games, Pitts is 19-of-27 on all shots (.704) and 15-of-21 (.714) on her 3-point shots.
Junior Taiye Bello notched her fifth double double of the season as she poured in 13 points and 11 rebounds. To help fill up the box score, Bello also tied a career high with three assists and recorded two steals and a blocked shot.
The first quarter was highly competitive as Minnesota held a 29-19 lead after the first 10 minutes. The Golden Gophers shot 70.6 percent from the floor in producing their most points in an opening quarter this year, while Coppin State was 6-of-12.
Minnesota upped the defense in the second quarter, though as it limited the Eagles to just seven points on 2-of-15 (.133) shooting. The Gophers, meanwhile, scored 21 points in the frame to lead 50-26 at the half. The 50 points marked their most points in any half this season. Bell had 18 points by intermission thanks to an 11-point output in the second quarter.
Up 36-24 with 5:32 to play in the second, Minnesota embarked on an 11-0 run over the next 3:58 to push the lead to 23 and never let it get lower than 21 the rest of the game. In fact, Coppin State scored as many points in the second and third quarters combined as it did in the first quarter Wednesday night, enabling the Gophers to build a 65-38 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
The second half gave valuable playing time to some of the Minnesota reserves. Junior Kehinde Bello (eight points in 14:30) and freshman Delaynie Byrne (six points in 15:48) both recorded career highs in minutes played and points scored, while freshman Mercedes Staples matched her personal best with 24 minutes on the floor.
The 84 points matched the season high scored against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 20, while the team's 31 made field goals, nine made 3-pointers and 23 assists were all season bests.
With semester finals approaching, Minnesota will wait until Dec. 22 to play its next game. That matchup at home against Rhode Island (3 p.m. on BTN Plus) will be the Gophers' final non-conference contest as Big Ten play starts on Dec. 28 against Wisconsin (8 p.m. on BTN).
GAME NOTES
The 10-0 start is the third best in program history behind a 15-0 run to open the 2003-04 season and a 12-0 mark to begin the 2002-03 campaign. Additionally, the team's 10-game winning streak is tied for the fifth longest in program history.
Senior Kenisha Bell was one of three in double figures for Minnesota, leading all scorers with 20 points for her fifth 20-point game of the season. She was 7-of-12 from the floor and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line. Bell added five assists, four steals and a pair of rebounds.
Sophomore Destiny Pitts continued her hot shooting to finish with 14 points and four rebounds. She was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, including hitting all four attempts from behind the 3-point line. Over the last three games, Pitts is 19-of-27 on all shots (.704) and 15-of-21 (.714) on her 3-point shots.
Junior Taiye Bello notched her fifth double double of the season as she poured in 13 points and 11 rebounds. To help fill up the box score, Bello also tied a career high with three assists and recorded two steals and a blocked shot.
The first quarter was highly competitive as Minnesota held a 29-19 lead after the first 10 minutes. The Golden Gophers shot 70.6 percent from the floor in producing their most points in an opening quarter this year, while Coppin State was 6-of-12.
Minnesota upped the defense in the second quarter, though as it limited the Eagles to just seven points on 2-of-15 (.133) shooting. The Gophers, meanwhile, scored 21 points in the frame to lead 50-26 at the half. The 50 points marked their most points in any half this season. Bell had 18 points by intermission thanks to an 11-point output in the second quarter.
Up 36-24 with 5:32 to play in the second, Minnesota embarked on an 11-0 run over the next 3:58 to push the lead to 23 and never let it get lower than 21 the rest of the game. In fact, Coppin State scored as many points in the second and third quarters combined as it did in the first quarter Wednesday night, enabling the Gophers to build a 65-38 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
The second half gave valuable playing time to some of the Minnesota reserves. Junior Kehinde Bello (eight points in 14:30) and freshman Delaynie Byrne (six points in 15:48) both recorded career highs in minutes played and points scored, while freshman Mercedes Staples matched her personal best with 24 minutes on the floor.
The 84 points matched the season high scored against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 20, while the team's 31 made field goals, nine made 3-pointers and 23 assists were all season bests.
With semester finals approaching, Minnesota will wait until Dec. 22 to play its next game. That matchup at home against Rhode Island (3 p.m. on BTN Plus) will be the Gophers' final non-conference contest as Big Ten play starts on Dec. 28 against Wisconsin (8 p.m. on BTN).
GAME NOTES
Wednesday was the first ever meeting between the schools ... the Gophers have won eight straight home games, tied for the ninth longest home win streak in program history, and 14 of its past 15 at home ... Minnesota is 7-2 all-time as the No. 13 team in the AP Poll ... Coppin State was the sixth opponent this season that Minnesota faced for the first time; the Gophers were 6-0 against those teams ... by going 5-of-5 from the free throw line, Kenisha Bell is now 382-for-519 in her career, passing Ashely Ellis Milan (377-for-514) for sixth in Minnesota history in both free throws made and attempted ... senior Irene Garrido Perez recorded a career-high four assists ... in addition to career highs in minutes and points, freshman Delaynie Byrne also had a career-high three rebounds and tied a personal best with two steals
Team Stats
F-165
F-428
FG%
.296
.554
3FG%
.227
.500
FT%
.714
.722
RB
34
34
TO
21
13
STL
8
13
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
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