University of Minnesota Athletics
Monday, December 31
Ann Arbor, Mich.
1:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Michigan
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
First B1G Road Test Comes Monday at Michigan
12/30/2018 1:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- No. 12/15 (AP/Coaches) Minnesota (12-0) plays in its first conference road game of the season Monday afternoon when it visits Michigan (9-4) at 1 p.m.
The game will be available to stream on BTN Plus and can also be heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 FM KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• One of nine teams in the country still undefeated, the Golden Gophers are looking to start 13-0 for the second time in program history. The only better start came in 2003-04 (15-0), while they also began the 2002-03 season 12-0. Those were head coach Lindsay Whalen's senior and junior seasons, respectively. A win Monday would give Whalen the most wins without a loss to open a coaching career at Minnesota, breaking a tie with her former coach, Pam Borton, whose first year was 2002-03. The only coach at a Big Ten school with more wins in his or her first year at that school is Ohio State's Debbie Wilson, who started 14-0 in 1972-73.
• The current 12-game win streak for Minnesota is tied for the third longest in program history and the longest since the team's program-record 15-game streak that opened the 2003-04 season. Through Saturday, the 12-game streak is tied for the second longest active run in the country behind only Virginia Tech, which was won 13 in a row.
• Minnesota is 11-25 in conference road openers, including a 90-63 win last season at Northwestern. Monday will be the fourth time that Minnesota plays its first B1G road game at Michigan, winning in Ann Arbor in 1983-84 but losing there in 1985-86 and 1989-90.
• The Gophers have won all 10 home games this season, which is tied for the sixth longest home win streak in program history. Dating to last season, the team has won 16 of its past 17 contests at Williams Arena, including four Top-25 wins. All-time, Minnesota boasts a .699 winning percentage at The Barn (348-150).
• Minnesota enters Monday's game ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll, the team's highest ranking since being ranked 11th on Feb. 6, 2006. The Gophers are 16-5 all-time as the No. 12 team in the AP Poll and have won five straight games when holding that ranking. In addition, the Gophers are 7-1 against the Wolverines when ranked. Minnesota was also No. 15 in the Coaches Poll, its highest ranking in that poll since also coming in at No. 10 on Feb. 6, 2006.
SERIES HISTORY WITH MICHIGAN
• Annalese Lamke led all scorers with 20 points, one off her career high. 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.
• Kenisha Bell notched her first double-double of the season and the eighth of her career as she finished with 17 points and a season-high 10 rebounds.
• Destiny Pitts was the third Gopher to reach double figures, contributing 13 points, while Taiye Bello came one point short of her seventh double-double of the year, tallying nine points and 16 rebounds.
• Minnesota set the tone in the first quarter, outscoring Wisconsin 17-7. The Gophers held the Badgers to 2-of-14 (14.3 percent) shooting and outscored them 11-2 over the game's first eight minutes.
• Ahead 40-30 in the third, the Gophers closed the third quarter on a 15-4 run over the final 6:10. In the fourth, Wisconsin got as close as 13 points with 6:36 to play, but Minnesota's defense stiffened and held the Badgers to just three points over the next four minutes.
• 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.
The game will be available to stream on BTN Plus and can also be heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 FM KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• One of nine teams in the country still undefeated, the Golden Gophers are looking to start 13-0 for the second time in program history. The only better start came in 2003-04 (15-0), while they also began the 2002-03 season 12-0. Those were head coach Lindsay Whalen's senior and junior seasons, respectively. A win Monday would give Whalen the most wins without a loss to open a coaching career at Minnesota, breaking a tie with her former coach, Pam Borton, whose first year was 2002-03. The only coach at a Big Ten school with more wins in his or her first year at that school is Ohio State's Debbie Wilson, who started 14-0 in 1972-73.
• The current 12-game win streak for Minnesota is tied for the third longest in program history and the longest since the team's program-record 15-game streak that opened the 2003-04 season. Through Saturday, the 12-game streak is tied for the second longest active run in the country behind only Virginia Tech, which was won 13 in a row.
• Minnesota is 11-25 in conference road openers, including a 90-63 win last season at Northwestern. Monday will be the fourth time that Minnesota plays its first B1G road game at Michigan, winning in Ann Arbor in 1983-84 but losing there in 1985-86 and 1989-90.
• The Gophers have won all 10 home games this season, which is tied for the sixth longest home win streak in program history. Dating to last season, the team has won 16 of its past 17 contests at Williams Arena, including four Top-25 wins. All-time, Minnesota boasts a .699 winning percentage at The Barn (348-150).
• Minnesota enters Monday's game ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll, the team's highest ranking since being ranked 11th on Feb. 6, 2006. The Gophers are 16-5 all-time as the No. 12 team in the AP Poll and have won five straight games when holding that ranking. In addition, the Gophers are 7-1 against the Wolverines when ranked. Minnesota was also No. 15 in the Coaches Poll, its highest ranking in that poll since also coming in at No. 10 on Feb. 6, 2006.
SERIES HISTORY WITH MICHIGAN
• Minnesota and Michigan meet for the 64th time on Monday. The Gophers hold a 35-28 edge in the series with the Wolverines, tying for their third most wins against another team with Northwestern (first is 41 vs. Wisconsin and second is 36 wins vs. Indiana).
• In Ann Arbor, the Gophers trail the Wolverines 14-16. The 14 wins, though, are tied for the second most away from Williams Arena for Minnesota behind only 16 wins at Wisconsin (also 14 wins at Indiana and Northwestern). The Gophers have lost two straight at Michigan and are looking for their first win there since Feb. 1, 2014.
• Minnesota has three Michigan natives on its roster. Destiny Pitts is from Detroit (Detroit County Day HS), which is about 45 mins. east of Ann Arbor, while Kehinde and Taiye Bello are from Southfield (Southfield-Lathrup HS), which is about 40 minutes northeast of Ann Arbor.
• In her playing career, Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen was 4-1 against Michigan (DNP in 2/29/04 game). She averaged 24.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 60.3 percent from the floor, 58.9 percent on 3-pointers and .727 from the free throw line.
LAST SEASON VS. MICHIGAN
• A dominant first quarter set the tone as Minnesota topped Wisconsin for the 12th straight time with a 74-56 win at home in the Big Ten opener Friday night.• In Ann Arbor, the Gophers trail the Wolverines 14-16. The 14 wins, though, are tied for the second most away from Williams Arena for Minnesota behind only 16 wins at Wisconsin (also 14 wins at Indiana and Northwestern). The Gophers have lost two straight at Michigan and are looking for their first win there since Feb. 1, 2014.
• Minnesota has three Michigan natives on its roster. Destiny Pitts is from Detroit (Detroit County Day HS), which is about 45 mins. east of Ann Arbor, while Kehinde and Taiye Bello are from Southfield (Southfield-Lathrup HS), which is about 40 minutes northeast of Ann Arbor.
• In her playing career, Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen was 4-1 against Michigan (DNP in 2/29/04 game). She averaged 24.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 60.3 percent from the floor, 58.9 percent on 3-pointers and .727 from the free throw line.
LAST SEASON VS. MICHIGAN
• Behind 26 points from Carlie Wagner, Minnesota knocked off No. 23/23 Michigan last season on Feb. 14, 93-87, at Williams Arena.
• Destiny Pitts posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Kenisha Bell contributed with 16 points and six assists and Gadiva Hubbard added 17 points, seven assists and five steals. Also reaching double figures was Jessie Edwards, who had 13 points.
• Minnesota led 45-40 at halftime, but Michigan opened the second half on a 13-0 run to take the lead. The Wolverines' lead eventually stood at 56-47 but the Gophers chipped away behind a 16-6 run over the next four minutes.
• The game of runs continued into the fourth quarter when the Gophers scored 11 of the first 13 points. Michigan rallied, though, and led 83-82 with 3:49 to play. Minnesota took the lead for good, though, with a 6-0 run, sparked by a pair of baskets by Hubbard.
LAST TIME AT MICHIGAN
• Destiny Pitts posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Kenisha Bell contributed with 16 points and six assists and Gadiva Hubbard added 17 points, seven assists and five steals. Also reaching double figures was Jessie Edwards, who had 13 points.
• Minnesota led 45-40 at halftime, but Michigan opened the second half on a 13-0 run to take the lead. The Wolverines' lead eventually stood at 56-47 but the Gophers chipped away behind a 16-6 run over the next four minutes.
• The game of runs continued into the fourth quarter when the Gophers scored 11 of the first 13 points. Michigan rallied, though, and led 83-82 with 3:49 to play. Minnesota took the lead for good, though, with a 6-0 run, sparked by a pair of baskets by Hubbard.
LAST TIME AT MICHIGAN
• The last time the teams met in Ann Arbor, Carlie Wagner scored 38 points, but the Golden Gophers fell 84-69 on Jan. 15, 2017.
• Wagner shot 13-of-20, including 7-for-9 from 3-point range, in tying the 12th-best game scoring total in program history. She also had eight rebounds.
• Hallie Thome had a double-double for Michigan with 20 points and 17 rebounds. Katelynn Flaherty scored 22 points. Michigan took advantage of 22 Minnesota turnovers, and outrebounded the Gophers 40-38.
RECAPPING THE WIN OVER WISCONSIN
• Wagner shot 13-of-20, including 7-for-9 from 3-point range, in tying the 12th-best game scoring total in program history. She also had eight rebounds.
• Hallie Thome had a double-double for Michigan with 20 points and 17 rebounds. Katelynn Flaherty scored 22 points. Michigan took advantage of 22 Minnesota turnovers, and outrebounded the Gophers 40-38.
RECAPPING THE WIN OVER WISCONSIN
• Annalese Lamke led all scorers with 20 points, one off her career high. 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.
• Kenisha Bell notched her first double-double of the season and the eighth of her career as she finished with 17 points and a season-high 10 rebounds.
• Destiny Pitts was the third Gopher to reach double figures, contributing 13 points, while Taiye Bello came one point short of her seventh double-double of the year, tallying nine points and 16 rebounds.
• Minnesota set the tone in the first quarter, outscoring Wisconsin 17-7. The Gophers held the Badgers to 2-of-14 (14.3 percent) shooting and outscored them 11-2 over the game's first eight minutes.
• Ahead 40-30 in the third, the Gophers closed the third quarter on a 15-4 run over the final 6:10. In the fourth, Wisconsin got as close as 13 points with 6:36 to play, but Minnesota's defense stiffened and held the Badgers to just three points over the next four minutes.
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 12-0.
• The Golden Gophers currently rank third in the Big Ten and 14th in the country in scoring defense by allowing just 53.3 points per game. For comparison, last season Minnesota finished the year ranked 335th by allowing 74.8 points per game.
• Additionally, the Gophers are 13th in the country in rebounds per game (45.25), 15th in both rebound margin (10.8), 18th in scoring margin (+20.8), 20th in opponent field goal percentage (33.9) and 24th in defensive rebounds per game (30).
• Some advanced metrics, via HerHoopStats.com, also illustrate how strong the Gopher defense has been this year. Minnesota is fourth in the nation in opponent points per play (shots+/FT trips+turnover) at 0.63, sixth in opponent points per 100 possessions at 74.5, seventh in opponent points per scoring attempt (shots+FT trips) at 0.81, 14th in opponent field goal percentage on two-pointers at 36.2, and 16th in opponent effective FG% (accounts for the value of 3-point shots: (FG + 0.5*3P) / FGA)) at 38.1%.
• The 1976-77 season (15 games) was the last time the Gophers went at least 10 games into a season without giving up at least 70 points in a game.
• 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 Golden Gophers currently rank third in the Big Ten and 14th in the country in scoring defense by allowing just 53.3 points per game. For comparison, last season Minnesota finished the year ranked 335th by allowing 74.8 points per game.
• Additionally, the Gophers are 13th in the country in rebounds per game (45.25), 15th in both rebound margin (10.8), 18th in scoring margin (+20.8), 20th in opponent field goal percentage (33.9) and 24th in defensive rebounds per game (30).
• Some advanced metrics, via HerHoopStats.com, also illustrate how strong the Gopher defense has been this year. Minnesota is fourth in the nation in opponent points per play (shots+/FT trips+turnover) at 0.63, sixth in opponent points per 100 possessions at 74.5, seventh in opponent points per scoring attempt (shots+FT trips) at 0.81, 14th in opponent field goal percentage on two-pointers at 36.2, and 16th in opponent effective FG% (accounts for the value of 3-point shots: (FG + 0.5*3P) / FGA)) at 38.1%.
• The 1976-77 season (15 games) was the last time the Gophers went at least 10 games into a season without giving up at least 70 points in a game.
• 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 Friday's games, Taiye Bello was second in the country in offensive rebounds per game (6) and total rebounds (163) and third in total rebounds per game (13.6) She is also 14th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (8) and 22nd in double-doubles (6).
• Bello is the only player in the country to have four games this year with at least 18 rebounds.
• The junior is also currently the most improved rebounder in the Big Ten, upping her rebounds per game total from 6.3 last year to 13.6 this year. The +7.3 difference has her tops in the B1G, ahead of teammate Annalese Lamke who has gone from 0.7 to 6.0 per game (+5.3).
• 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 10 in her career, with Minnesota going 10-0 in those games.
• Bello is the only player in the country to have four games this year with at least 18 rebounds.
• The junior is also currently the most improved rebounder in the Big Ten, upping her rebounds per game total from 6.3 last year to 13.6 this year. The +7.3 difference has her tops in the B1G, ahead of teammate Annalese Lamke who has gone from 0.7 to 6.0 per game (+5.3).
• 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 10 in her career, with Minnesota going 10-0 in those games.
• 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 THIS SEASON
• The Golden Gophers have spent very little time playing from behind this season. Of the 480 minutes played through 12 games, Minnesota has played with the lead for a total of 419:55 and trailed for just 38:12.
• In half the games this year, the Gophers have led wire-to-wire. Most 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), Rhode Island (2:06), Air Force (1:38) and Coppin State (0:53).
• In half the games this year, the Gophers have led wire-to-wire. Most 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), Rhode Island (2:06), Air Force (1:38) and Coppin State (0:53).
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