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University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
20-6, 9-4Big Te
Michigan
20-8, 9-6Big Te
Gophers Take Down No. 23 Michigan, 93-87
2/14/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Final Stats | Postgame Quotes | Photo Gallery
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MINNEAPOLIS - Behind 26 points from senior Carlie Wagner, Minnesota knocked off No. 23/23 Michigan (20-8, 9-6 B1G) Wednesday night, 93-87, at Williams Arena.
In beating a ranked team for the second time this season, the Gophers improved their record to 20-6 overall and 9-4 in the Big Ten. It's the 13th 20-win season in program history, including three of four seasons under head coach Marlene Stollings. Minnesota is also 12-1 at home this year.
Wagner was 8-of-17 from the floor and 6-of-11 from 3-point range. She now has 2,055 career points to move into fourth on the Minnesota career scoring list, passing Laura Coenen who had 2,044 points from 1981-85. Wagner is 42 points away from tying Carol Ann Shudlick for third in program history.
Freshman Destiny Pitts posted her sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds. She's now tied with junior Kenisha Bell for the most double-doubles on the team this year. Bell, meanwhile, contributed with 16 points, six assists and four rebounds Wednesday.
Sophomore Gadiva Hubbard added 17 points, set a season high with seven assists and tied a career high with five steals. Also reaching double figures was senior Jessie Edwards, who had a season-high 13 points and four rebounds off the bench.
Neither team was able to gain control of the game in the first quarter. Michigan led by as many as five, including at 19-14 with 2:25 to play in the frame, but Minnesota ended the quarter on a 6-0 run to finish with a 20-19 lead. Wagner had the go-ahead bucket with a long two-pointer with 49 seconds remaining.
The lead again swung back and forth between both teams in the second quarter, but Minnesota turned a 31-31 tie with 4:56 to play in the first half into a 45-35 lead thanks to a 14-4 run. During the stretch, Wagner contributed eight of the team's 14 points. The Golden Gophers entered the locker room with a 45-40 lead, marking the most points the Wolverines had allowed in any opening half this season.
Michigan opened the second half on a 13-0 run, however, to get back into the game and 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. Wagner was once again the catalyst during the scoring run, pouring in eight points.
The game of runs continued into the fourth quarter when the Gophers stormed out to score 11 of the first 13 points in the frame. Michigan rallied though and led 83-82 with 3:49 to play. Minnesota took the lead for good, though, on a basket by Hubbard, while sophomore Taiye Bello followed with a bucket of her own and Hubbard added two more points to fuel a 6-0 run that gave Minnesota control.
The Golden Gophers continue their homestand Sunday as they play host to No. 10/9 Maryland. Tipoff is scheduled for noon on Big Ten Network.
Game Notes
- The 93 points scored by Minnesota were the most the Wolverines had allowed since a 96-87 loss at Ohio State on Jan. 7, 2017
- Minnesota is 35-28 all-time against Michigan; that .556 win percentage is the best for the Gophers against any school they've played at least 20 times in its history
- The five turnovers committed by Minnesota tied for the fewest in the Marlene Stollings era; also had five against Nebraska on Dec. 29, 2014
