University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Face Phoenix Friday in NCAA Opener
3/15/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| RV/RV Minnesota (23-8, 11-5 B1G) vs. 22/21 Greeen Bay (29-3, 16-2 Horizon) | |
| Date / Time | Friday, March 16 // 4 p.m. CT |
| Location | Matthew Knight Arena // Eugene, Ore. |
| TV / Stream | ESPN2 (viewing map) // WatchESPN |
| Radio | 93.3 ALT FM // Listen Online // iHeart Radio App |
| Live Stats | Gamecenter |
| Live Updates | Game Day Live |
| Tournament Central | NCAA Tournament |
| Game Notes | Minnesota // Green Bay |
| Official Sites | Minnesota // Green Bay |
| Social Media | @GopherWBB | Facebook | Instagram |
Winners of six of its last eight and nine of its last 12, Minnesota returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014-15, the second time under head coach Marlene Stollings and the 10th time in program history. The Golden Gophers, seeded 10th, open play Friday against No. 7 seed Green Bay in Eugene, Ore., at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The winner meets No. 2 Oregon or No. 15 Seattle on Sunday.
Here are five things you need to know before tipoff:
1. Minnesota is 11-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, which includes a magical run to the Final Four in 2004. The Gophers have advanced to the Sweet 16 three times (2003, 2004, 2005) in program history, while also competing in one Elite Eight (2004). Minnesota, which made its first NCAA Appearance in 1994, has earned the No. 10 seed for the third time (1994 and 2009) in program history. Each previous time the Golden Gophers were No. 10 they won their opening round game. Overall, Minnesota is 6-3 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
2. The Golden Gophers and Phoenix have met 13 times previously with Minnesota owning a 7-6 record in those matchups. The teams last met on March 19, 2014, when the Gophers prevailed 62-60 in the opening round of the WNIT. That's the only postseason meeting in a series that dates back to 1991.
3. Entering the tournament, Minnesota's scoring average of 85.2 points per game leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally behind only Connecticut (88.8) and Baylor (86.6). It's also on pace to be the highest scoring average in team history, which currently stands at 83.6 set in 2015-16. Junior Kenisha Bell, an All-Big Ten First Team selection, leads the Gophers with 20.0 points per game, while senior Carlie Wagner, also a First Team All-Big Ten honoree, is not far behind at 18.8.
4. The Golden Gophers have won three of their last four games against Top-25 teams, beating then-No. 20 Iowa on Jan. 21 and taking down then-No. 23 Michigan and No. 10 Maryland in a span of five days in mid-February before falling to top-seeded and 13th-ranked Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. For those wins over the Wolverines and Terrapins, Minnesota was named the National Team of the Week by NCAA.com.
5. Headlining the Gophers' award winners, Destiny Pitts was named the unanimous Big Ten Freshman of the Year, while senior Carlie Wagner and junior Kenisha Bell were each named to the All-Big Ten First Team. Known for developing players, in just four seasons head coach Marlene Stollings has produced two Big Ten Player of the Year winners, three WNBA Draft Picks (including two in the Top 5) and five All-Big Ten First Team honorees.
TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE
• Two Gophers have played in the NCAA Tournament before: seniors Carlie Wagner and Bryanna Fernstrom.
• Wagner was a freshman when the Gophers last reached the NCAAs in 2014-15. She scored 14 points with eight rebounds, an assist and a steal as a starter in Minnesota's opening round loss to DePaul.
•Fernstrom was a freshman at Iowa State in 2014-15 when she made her lone appearance in the NCAA Tournament. She came off the bench to score seven points with three rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal, but the Cyclones lost to Dayton in the opening round.
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
• Green Bay enters the game with a 29-3 record on the season and went 16-2 in Horizon League play, capturing both the regular season and tournament crowns. The Phoenix have won seven straight games and 18 of their past 19 contests.
• Jessica Lindstrom leads Green Bay in both scoring (15.2 ppg.) and rebounds (10.5 rbg.), while Allie LeClaire (14.3) is the only other player averaging double figures. Lindstrom was named to the All-Horizon League First Team, the Horizon League All-Defensive Team, while LeClaire was named Horizon League Tournament MVP and All-Horizon League Second Team.
• Additionally, Jen Wellnitz was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year and was on the All-Tournament Team, while Karly Murphy was placed on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team.
• Green Bay enters the NCAAs with the nation's top defense, leading the country in both scoring defense (46.1 ppg.) and opponent shooting percentage (32.1). In addition, the Phoenix rank fourth nationally in 3-point percentage defense (26.5) and fifth in scoring margin (+19.1).
'33' FOR THREE
• Senior Carlie Wagner was named an All-Big First Team honoree for the first time in her career this year. In each of the last two seasons she was named to the Second Team by the media and coaches. She also was picked as the school's Sportsmanship Award representative.
• With 20 points at Iowa on Feb. 4, she became the fifth player in Minnesota history to reach 2,000 points in a career. Ranked 10th among active DI players with 2,180 career points and fifth with 298 career 3-pointers, she most recently passed Carol Ann Shudlick (2,097) for third on Minnesota's career list. (See page 7 for more of Wagner's ranks).
• Wagner is second on the team this year with an average of 18.8 points per game and enters the tournament ranked third in the Big Ten in 3-pointers made (92) and attempted (211) and 3-pointers made per game (2.97) and fourth in 3-point percentage (.404).
• Wagner started the year by making just 19-of-64 3-point attempts (29.7%) through her first nine games, but since then has made 76-of-174 (43.7%) over her last 23 contests.
• On Feb. 19, 2018, Wagner was named the B1G co-Player of the Week for the first time in her career after averaging 21.5 points per game as the Gophers upset No. 23 Michigan and No. 10 Maryland.
• Wagner has 112 career games in double figures, including a streak of 44 consecutive games from March 6, 2015 to Dec. 8, 2016 where she scored at least 10 points.
• Wagner's 38 points at Michigan last season (1/15/17) was the 12th-best scoring game in program history. This year, she posted 34 against Indiana on Feb. 20 to tie for her second highest scoring output.
BELL AMONG NATION'S MOST VERSATILE
• Junior Kenisha Bell was named to the All-Big Ten First Team by the league's coaches and was a unanimous selection by the media. It's the first time she's received First Team honors after taking home honorable mention recognition a year ago. She was also placed on the coaches' All-Big Ten Defensive Team.
• Bell is one of the most versatile players in the country. She enters the tournament leading the Big Ten in assists/game (6.8) and steals/game (2.68), ranking 10th and 33rd, respectively in those categories.
• In addition to ranking 10th in assists/game, Bell also ranks 28th in scoring average (20.0), making her the only player in the country to rank in the top 30 of each category.
• With 21 points against Maryland on Feb. 18, Bell became the 24th player in school history to reach 1,000 points. She currently has 1,103 points as a Gopher to rank 18th in program history.
FABULOUS FROSH
• Destiny Pitts is the fourth player in Minnesota history to be named Freshman of the Year by the league. She was also placed on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team and earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention recognition by the league's coaches, while the media selected her for the All-Big Ten Second Team.
• She was named B1G Freshman of the Week a league-best seven times, a number that tied her with Amanda Zahui B. (2013-14) for the most in Minnesota history. Pitts is also one of just five players in league history to reach that number.
• The USBWA National Freshman of the Week on Feb. 13, Pitts is averaging 13.1 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game this year.
• Pitts' 81 made 3-pointers this year are a Minnesota freshman record and are the fifth most in a season for a Gopher. She also has the fifth most 3-point attempts (225) and the eighth most defensive rebounds (181).
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN
• Minnesota's four best season 3-point field goal totals have come in the four seasons under head coach Marlene Stollings: 1) 292 in 2015-16, 2) 275 this year, 3) 214 in 2014-15, and 4) 203 in 2016-17.
• The Gophers enter the tournament leading the Big Ten and ranking 17th nationally with 8.9 3-pointers per game. The team is second in B1G in 3-pointers made (275) and attempted (750) and fourth with a 36.7 shooting percentage. The Gophers have 11 games making 10 or more 3-pointers.
• Carlie Wagner is second on the career list (298) and has the third best (92 this year) and fourth best (82 last year) season totals.
• Wagner has a game with seven 3-pointers (at Georgetown) and four games with six 3-pointers (UC Riverside, at Wisconsin, Michigan, Maryland). Destiny Pitts added seven at Ohio State, while Gadiva Hubbard (vs. Lehigh) and Pitts (at UNLV and at Northwestern) each have games with six.
CLEANING UP THE GLASS
• Minnesota enters the tournament leading the Big Ten in rebounds per game (43.6) and ranking second in total rebounds (1,351). Those figures rank eighth and 16th in the nation, respectively.
• Only two other Power 5 teams average more rebounds per game than Minnesota this year entering the tournament: Baylor at 48.8 and Tennessee at 44.0.
• Four players average at least 5.0 rebounds per game with freshman Destiny Pitts leading the way at 7.3 boards per contest. She's on pace to become the first freshman to lead the Gophers in rebounding since Amanda Zahui B. in 2013-14.
• The Gophers have rebounded their opponents 20 times this year, going 16-4 in those contests.
GOPHERS GET TO THE LINE
• Entering the tournament, no team in the Big Ten was better at getting to the line and converting there than Minnesota. The Golden Gophers led the conference in both free throws made (482) and free throws attempted (645), numbers that rank 12th and 25th, respectively, in the country.
• On average, the Gophers make 15.5 and attempt 20.8 free throws per game.
• Leading the way for the Gophers is Kenisha Bell, who has set the single-season program record for both free throws attempted (236) and made (172). Those rankings are seventh and ninth, respectively, in the country.
• Aside from Bell, four other Gophers have been to the line at least 60 times this year, including Destiny Pitts, who is shooting .883 at the line (68-77).
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