University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, December 28
Williams Arena
8:00 PM
University of Minnesota
74
vs
56
Wisconsin
1
2
3
4
F
Wisconsin
7
15
12
22
56
Minnesota
17
15
23
19
74
Photo by: Brad Rempel
No. 12 Gophers Top Badgers in B1G Opener
12/28/2018 11:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- A dominant first quarter set the tone as No. 12/15 Minnesota topped Wisconsin (9-4) for the 12th straight time with a 74-56 win in the Big Ten opener Friday night in front of a crowd of 7,918 at Williams Arena.
With the win, Minnesota improves to 12-0 on the season. Head coach Lindsay Whalen has now matched her former coach, Pam Borton, for the most consecutive wins to start a coaching career at Minnesota. Borton also started 12-0 in the 2002-03 season, Whalen's junior year.
The 12-0 start to the season is tied for the second best in program history, bettered only by a 15-0 start to the 2003-04 season, Whalen's senior year. In addition, the team's 12-game win streak is now tied for the third longest in program history.
Senior Annalese Lamke led all scorers with 20 points, one off her career high set in this year's season opener. A native of Galesville, Wis., she was 6-of-7 from the floor and was 8-of-10 at the free throw line, setting career highs in free throws made and attempted. She's now scored at least 13 points in four of her last five games, averaging 13.6 points per game in that span after averaging 9.3 points over the first seven games of the season.
Fellow senior Kenisha Bell notched her first double-double of the season as she finished with 17 points and a season-high 10 rebounds. It was the eighth double-double of her Gophers career and the first double-double by a Minnesota player other than junior Taiye Bello. It was her fourth career game with at least double-digit rebounds. Bell's 17 points give her 1,374 for her Minnesota career, moving into 12th place in the school record books ahead of Debbie Hunter (1,363). Bell also had five assists and a pair of steals.
Sophomore Destiny Pitts was the third Gopher to reach double figures, contributing 13 points. She also had four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Bello came one point short of her seventh double-double of the year, tallying nine points and 16 rebounds. It was her sixth game this year with at least that many boards. Ten of her rebounds Friday were on the defensive end. Her six offensive rebounds give her 259 for her career, passing both Amanda Zahui B. (254) and Ellen Kramer (255) for sixth in school annals. Bello also blocked two shots and tied a career high with three assists.
Minnesota set the tone in the first quarter, outscoring Wisconsin 17-7. The seven points allowed were tied for the second fewest in any quarter for the Gophers. They held the Badgers to 2-of-14 (14.3 percent) shooting and outscored them 11-2 over the game's first eight minutes.
The Golden Gophers led 20-7 early in the second quarter, but Wisconsin used a 7-0 run over a 2:30 span to cut the lead to 20-14. That would be the closest it would get the rest of the way as Minnesota entered the locker room with a 32-22 lead. Pitts scored 11 of her 13 points in the first half, while Lamke and Bell each had seven.
Like the first quarter, the third quarter was where Minnesota separated from Wisconsin. Ahead 40-30, the Gophers closed the third quarter on a 15-4 run over the final 6:10. Senior Palma Kaposi matched a career high with six points, scoring all of them during the stretch, while a 3-pointer from freshman Mercedes Staples capped the run and send the game into the fourth with Minnesota holding a 55-34 advantage, the largest lead of the game.
In the fourth, Wisconsin got as close as 13 points when a 3-pointer from Kelly Karlis made it a 61-48 game with 6:36 to play. Minnesota's defense stiffened though and held the Badgers to just three points over the next four minutes to help secure the win and extend the Gophers' longest active win streak against another team.
Minnesota has just two days to enjoy the victory as the Gophers are back in action on Monday at Michigan (9-4). Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on BTN Plus.
GAME NOTES
Minnesota is 41-35 all-time against Wisconsin, its most victories against another team ... the Gophers are 15-22 all-time in Big Ten openers and 18-19 in conference home openers ... Minnesota is 9-2 against Wisconsin when ranked ... the Gophers' 10-game home win streak is tied for the sixth longest in program history ... Friday marked the sixth time in 12 games that the Gophers never trailed ... junior Kehinde Bello recorded the first steal of her career ... junior Jasmine Brunson's five assists were one off her career high
With the win, Minnesota improves to 12-0 on the season. Head coach Lindsay Whalen has now matched her former coach, Pam Borton, for the most consecutive wins to start a coaching career at Minnesota. Borton also started 12-0 in the 2002-03 season, Whalen's junior year.
The 12-0 start to the season is tied for the second best in program history, bettered only by a 15-0 start to the 2003-04 season, Whalen's senior year. In addition, the team's 12-game win streak is now tied for the third longest in program history.
Senior Annalese Lamke led all scorers with 20 points, one off her career high set in this year's season opener. A native of Galesville, Wis., she was 6-of-7 from the floor and was 8-of-10 at the free throw line, setting career highs in free throws made and attempted. She's now scored at least 13 points in four of her last five games, averaging 13.6 points per game in that span after averaging 9.3 points over the first seven games of the season.
Fellow senior Kenisha Bell notched her first double-double of the season as she finished with 17 points and a season-high 10 rebounds. It was the eighth double-double of her Gophers career and the first double-double by a Minnesota player other than junior Taiye Bello. It was her fourth career game with at least double-digit rebounds. Bell's 17 points give her 1,374 for her Minnesota career, moving into 12th place in the school record books ahead of Debbie Hunter (1,363). Bell also had five assists and a pair of steals.
Sophomore Destiny Pitts was the third Gopher to reach double figures, contributing 13 points. She also had four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Bello came one point short of her seventh double-double of the year, tallying nine points and 16 rebounds. It was her sixth game this year with at least that many boards. Ten of her rebounds Friday were on the defensive end. Her six offensive rebounds give her 259 for her career, passing both Amanda Zahui B. (254) and Ellen Kramer (255) for sixth in school annals. Bello also blocked two shots and tied a career high with three assists.
Minnesota set the tone in the first quarter, outscoring Wisconsin 17-7. The seven points allowed were tied for the second fewest in any quarter for the Gophers. They held the Badgers to 2-of-14 (14.3 percent) shooting and outscored them 11-2 over the game's first eight minutes.
The Golden Gophers led 20-7 early in the second quarter, but Wisconsin used a 7-0 run over a 2:30 span to cut the lead to 20-14. That would be the closest it would get the rest of the way as Minnesota entered the locker room with a 32-22 lead. Pitts scored 11 of her 13 points in the first half, while Lamke and Bell each had seven.
Like the first quarter, the third quarter was where Minnesota separated from Wisconsin. Ahead 40-30, the Gophers closed the third quarter on a 15-4 run over the final 6:10. Senior Palma Kaposi matched a career high with six points, scoring all of them during the stretch, while a 3-pointer from freshman Mercedes Staples capped the run and send the game into the fourth with Minnesota holding a 55-34 advantage, the largest lead of the game.
In the fourth, Wisconsin got as close as 13 points when a 3-pointer from Kelly Karlis made it a 61-48 game with 6:36 to play. Minnesota's defense stiffened though and held the Badgers to just three points over the next four minutes to help secure the win and extend the Gophers' longest active win streak against another team.
Minnesota has just two days to enjoy the victory as the Gophers are back in action on Monday at Michigan (9-4). Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on BTN Plus.
GAME NOTES
Minnesota is 41-35 all-time against Wisconsin, its most victories against another team ... the Gophers are 15-22 all-time in Big Ten openers and 18-19 in conference home openers ... Minnesota is 9-2 against Wisconsin when ranked ... the Gophers' 10-game home win streak is tied for the sixth longest in program history ... Friday marked the sixth time in 12 games that the Gophers never trailed ... junior Kehinde Bello recorded the first steal of her career ... junior Jasmine Brunson's five assists were one off her career high
Team Stats
F-796
F-428
FG%
.350
.397
3FG%
.333
.250
FT%
.429
.615
RB
45
46
TO
20
13
STL
8
8
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballHighlights: Gophers 57, Kansas 63
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Cinematic Recap: Gophers-NJIT
Saturday, November 15
Highlights: Gophers 88, NJIT 39
Friday, November 14
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Marquette
Thursday, November 13