University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, January 31
Evanston, Ill.
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Northwestern
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Face Northwestern Thursday Night in Evanston
1/30/2019 10:21:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota (13-7, 2-7 B1G) continues its latest stretch of three games in six days as it travels to Northwestern (13-7, 6-3) Thursday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
The game will be streamed on BTN Plus and can also be heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 FM KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
SERIES HISTORY WITH NORTHWESTERN
LAST SEASON VS. THE WILDCATS
• Meanwhile, Jasmine Brunson (the 1 for most of the year), Taiye Bello (4) and Annalese Lamke (5) are all starting this season after primarily coming off the bench a year ago. As a result, all three have seen significant increases in minutes per game. Lamke leads the team with an increase of 21.4 minutes per game from last year, while Brunson (+18.2) and Bello (+13.8) rank second and third, respectively.
BELL FINISHING STRONG IN SENIOR SEASON
• Bell has also been a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll honoree.
The game will be streamed on BTN Plus and can also be heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 FM KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• Few teams in the country get to the free throw line more than Minnesota. Through Monday's games, the Golden Gophers ranked fourth in the NCAA with 471 attempts, while Minnesota's 319 made free throws sat seventh nationally. Kenisha Bell has been the most prolific free throw shooter for Minnesota, ranking third nationally in attempts (163) and sixth in makes (111). Additionally, Annalese Lamke ranks fifth in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (80.0) and 11th in free throws made (64).
• The Gophers are 3-3 in road games this season. They won both their non-conference matchups, winning at Xavier in the second game of the season on Nov. 14 and at Boston College on Dec. 9. Within conference play, Minnesota has dropped contests at Michigan on Dec. 31, Michigan State on Jan. 9 and Nebraska on Jan. 20, but defeated Wisconsin in Madison on Jan. 17. Senior Kenisha Bell leads the Gophers with a 16.5 scoring average in road games this year, while sophomore Destiny Pitts (13.3), junior Taiye Bello (11.0) and senior Annalese Lamke (10.7) are also averaging double figures. Bello is the team's top rebounder on the road at 9.3 boards per game.
• Minnesota enters Thursday night's game in the "receiving votes" portion of the AP Poll. This comes after last week's appearance among those "receiving votes" snapped a 10-week run in the AP Poll for the Gophers, their longest such streak since appearing in all 18 polls during the 2005-06 season. Minnesota was no longer receiving votes in the Coaches Poll after appearing in the poll in some capacity for the first 12 weeks.
• Sophomore Destiny Pitts has regained her shooting stroke over the last two games. Through the first seven games of Big Ten play, Pitts was averaging 9.6 points per game while shooting 33.8 percent on field goals and 20.0 percent on 3-pointers, making 9-of-45 attempts from beyond the arc. Since then, she has scored 19 points in back-to-back games against Purdue and Ohio State while shooting 43.8 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent on 3-pointers (10-for-20). Overall in conference games, Pitts is averaging 11.7 points per contest.
• The Gophers are 3-3 in road games this season. They won both their non-conference matchups, winning at Xavier in the second game of the season on Nov. 14 and at Boston College on Dec. 9. Within conference play, Minnesota has dropped contests at Michigan on Dec. 31, Michigan State on Jan. 9 and Nebraska on Jan. 20, but defeated Wisconsin in Madison on Jan. 17. Senior Kenisha Bell leads the Gophers with a 16.5 scoring average in road games this year, while sophomore Destiny Pitts (13.3), junior Taiye Bello (11.0) and senior Annalese Lamke (10.7) are also averaging double figures. Bello is the team's top rebounder on the road at 9.3 boards per game.
• Minnesota enters Thursday night's game in the "receiving votes" portion of the AP Poll. This comes after last week's appearance among those "receiving votes" snapped a 10-week run in the AP Poll for the Gophers, their longest such streak since appearing in all 18 polls during the 2005-06 season. Minnesota was no longer receiving votes in the Coaches Poll after appearing in the poll in some capacity for the first 12 weeks.
• Sophomore Destiny Pitts has regained her shooting stroke over the last two games. Through the first seven games of Big Ten play, Pitts was averaging 9.6 points per game while shooting 33.8 percent on field goals and 20.0 percent on 3-pointers, making 9-of-45 attempts from beyond the arc. Since then, she has scored 19 points in back-to-back games against Purdue and Ohio State while shooting 43.8 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent on 3-pointers (10-for-20). Overall in conference games, Pitts is averaging 11.7 points per contest.
SERIES HISTORY WITH NORTHWESTERN
• Minnesota and Northwestern will meet for the 72nd time on Thursday. The Wildcats hold a slight one-game lead over the Golden Gophers all-time, 36-35. Minnesota has won two straight and four of the last five in the series, however.
• In Evanston, Northwestern holds an 18-14 series lead, though the Gophers have won two straight there. The Gophers' 14 wins in Evanston are tied for their second most on the road against one school (Wisconsin, 17).
• Northwestern has one Minnesotan on its roster: junior Abi Scheid from Elk River (Elk River High School).
• In her playing career, Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen never lost to Northwestern, going 5-0 (DNP in either 2/22/04 or 3/4/04 games). She averaged 22.0 points, 5.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game, while shooting 60 percent from the floor and 78.6 percent from the free throw line.
• In Evanston, Northwestern holds an 18-14 series lead, though the Gophers have won two straight there. The Gophers' 14 wins in Evanston are tied for their second most on the road against one school (Wisconsin, 17).
• Northwestern has one Minnesotan on its roster: junior Abi Scheid from Elk River (Elk River High School).
• In her playing career, Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen never lost to Northwestern, going 5-0 (DNP in either 2/22/04 or 3/4/04 games). She averaged 22.0 points, 5.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game, while shooting 60 percent from the floor and 78.6 percent from the free throw line.
LAST SEASON VS. THE WILDCATS
• When the teams last met, Kenisha Bell and Destiny Pitts each recorded double-doubles as the Gophers cruised to a 90-63 victory over the Wildcats in the 2017-18 conference opener.
• Bell finished with 26 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and five steals, while Pitts hit six 3-pointers as she recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds.
• Carlie Wagner (16) and Gadiva Hubbard (12) also reached double figures for the Gophers.
• Down 19-16 after the first quarter, Minnesota outscored Northwestern 31-18 in the second quarter to grab control. Pitts connected four times from behind the arc and Wagner hit a pair of threes as the Gophers led 47-37 at halftime.
• Bell scored on three straight possessions in the third quarter, forcing Northwestern to call an early timeout. Halfway through the quarter Hubbard connected on a three and a layup on back-to-back possessions and the Gophers took a 69-52 lead into the final quarter of play.
• Minnesota nearly doubled up the Wildcats in the fourth, 21-11, en route to the win.
• Bell finished with 26 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and five steals, while Pitts hit six 3-pointers as she recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds.
• Carlie Wagner (16) and Gadiva Hubbard (12) also reached double figures for the Gophers.
• Down 19-16 after the first quarter, Minnesota outscored Northwestern 31-18 in the second quarter to grab control. Pitts connected four times from behind the arc and Wagner hit a pair of threes as the Gophers led 47-37 at halftime.
• Bell scored on three straight possessions in the third quarter, forcing Northwestern to call an early timeout. Halfway through the quarter Hubbard connected on a three and a layup on back-to-back possessions and the Gophers took a 69-52 lead into the final quarter of play.
• Minnesota nearly doubled up the Wildcats in the fourth, 21-11, en route to the win.
RECAPPING THE GAME AGAINST OHIO STATE
• Three Gophers reached double figures, including a double-double for Taiye Bello, but Minnesota lost at home to Ohio State Monday night, 65-55.
• Bello's double-double was her team-leading eighth of the season as she went for 12 points and 18 rebounds, one off a career high. Of the 18 rebounds, 13 were on the defensive end. Bello had nine rebounds in the first quarter alone and had 17 by the end of the third quarter. She also blocked four shots.
• Destiny Pitts continued her hot shooting as she finished with a team-high 19 points for the second straight contest. Pitts was 7-of-13 from the floor, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range. Pitts, who played all 40 minutes, added four assists and four rebounds.
• Kenisha Bell was the third Gopher to reach double figures as she recorded 16 points, nine of which came at the free throw line. She matched Pitts for the team lead with four assists.
• The game was close throughout the first half as Minnesota held a 16-10 lead after the first quarter. The lead got as large as eight points for the Gophers twice in the second quarter, the last of which put the team up 28-20. Ohio State scored the final five points, though, to make it a 28-25 Minnesota lead at intermission.
• A 3-pointer from Irene Garrido Perez, who was making the second start of her career, gave the Gophers a 32-25 cushion early in the third quarter, but Ohio State countered with an 10-0 run. Down 37-34, Pitts made another clutch 3-pointer to even the game with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter.
• Tied entering the fourth quarter, a jumper from Bello would put Minnesota ahead 45-43, but that would be the last time the Gophers would be in front. Ohio State rattled off 16 straight points to take control of the contest and win for the fifth straight time in the series.
• Bello's double-double was her team-leading eighth of the season as she went for 12 points and 18 rebounds, one off a career high. Of the 18 rebounds, 13 were on the defensive end. Bello had nine rebounds in the first quarter alone and had 17 by the end of the third quarter. She also blocked four shots.
• Destiny Pitts continued her hot shooting as she finished with a team-high 19 points for the second straight contest. Pitts was 7-of-13 from the floor, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range. Pitts, who played all 40 minutes, added four assists and four rebounds.
• Kenisha Bell was the third Gopher to reach double figures as she recorded 16 points, nine of which came at the free throw line. She matched Pitts for the team lead with four assists.
• The game was close throughout the first half as Minnesota held a 16-10 lead after the first quarter. The lead got as large as eight points for the Gophers twice in the second quarter, the last of which put the team up 28-20. Ohio State scored the final five points, though, to make it a 28-25 Minnesota lead at intermission.
• A 3-pointer from Irene Garrido Perez, who was making the second start of her career, gave the Gophers a 32-25 cushion early in the third quarter, but Ohio State countered with an 10-0 run. Down 37-34, Pitts made another clutch 3-pointer to even the game with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter.
• Tied entering the fourth quarter, a jumper from Bello would put Minnesota ahead 45-43, but that would be the last time the Gophers would be in front. Ohio State rattled off 16 straight points to take control of the contest and win for the fifth straight time in the series.
GOPHERS GAINING EXPERIENCE IN NEW ROLES
• Even though two-thirds of Minnesota's roster consists of upperclassmen, the Gophers actually have the fewest combined career minutes of any roster in the Big Ten, according to research initially done by Nebraska's Communications office.
• Through Jan. 28, the Gophers' roster had played a combined 10,241 minutes, while no other team in the league had fewer than 10,600 combined minutes. For further context, Rutgers was leading the Big Ten with 16,786 combined minutes, while Thursday's opponent, Northwestern, was in seventh with 12,176 minutes.
• Not only is the team playing under a new coaching staff, all five members of the starting lineup are playing in different positions than they did a year ago. Among returning starters, Kenisha Bell has gone from the 1 to the 2 for most of the season, while Destiny Pitts moved from the 4 to the 3.
• Through Jan. 28, the Gophers' roster had played a combined 10,241 minutes, while no other team in the league had fewer than 10,600 combined minutes. For further context, Rutgers was leading the Big Ten with 16,786 combined minutes, while Thursday's opponent, Northwestern, was in seventh with 12,176 minutes.
• Not only is the team playing under a new coaching staff, all five members of the starting lineup are playing in different positions than they did a year ago. Among returning starters, Kenisha Bell has gone from the 1 to the 2 for most of the season, while Destiny Pitts moved from the 4 to the 3.
• Meanwhile, Jasmine Brunson (the 1 for most of the year), Taiye Bello (4) and Annalese Lamke (5) are all starting this season after primarily coming off the bench a year ago. As a result, all three have seen significant increases in minutes per game. Lamke leads the team with an increase of 21.4 minutes per game from last year, while Brunson (+18.2) and Bello (+13.8) rank second and third, respectively.
BELLO DOMINATING THE GLASS
• Through Monday, Taiye Bello was second in the country in offensive rebounds per game (5), fourth in total rebounds (254) and fifth in rebounds per game (12.7). She was also 19th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (8) and 35th in double-doubles (8).
• Bello is the only player in the country to have six games this year with at least 18 rebounds.
• Bello is also currently the most improved rebounder in the Big Ten, upping her rebounds per game total from 6.3 last year to 12.7 this year. The +6.4 difference has her tops in the B1G, ahead of teammate Annalese Lamke who has gone from 0.7 to 6.2 per game (+5.5).
• Bello posted double-doubles in the first three games this season, becoming 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 12 in her career, and Minnesota is 10-2 in those games.
• Though she didn't have a double-double against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in game four, 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 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, including 10 offensive.
• At Michigan, she made all nine attempts from the floor for a career-high 24 points. She became one of five players in Gophers history to not miss when attempting at least that many shots.
• She also had her first B1G double-double of the year with 12 points and 12 rebounds against Iowa and pulled down 18 rebounds in back-to-back games against Purdue and Ohio State.
• Bello is the only player in the country to have six games this year with at least 18 rebounds.
• Bello is also currently the most improved rebounder in the Big Ten, upping her rebounds per game total from 6.3 last year to 12.7 this year. The +6.4 difference has her tops in the B1G, ahead of teammate Annalese Lamke who has gone from 0.7 to 6.2 per game (+5.5).
• Bello posted double-doubles in the first three games this season, becoming 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 12 in her career, and Minnesota is 10-2 in those games.
• Though she didn't have a double-double against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in game four, 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 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, including 10 offensive.
• At Michigan, she made all nine attempts from the floor for a career-high 24 points. She became one of five players in Gophers history to not miss when attempting at least that many shots.
• She also had her first B1G double-double of the year with 12 points and 12 rebounds against Iowa and pulled down 18 rebounds in back-to-back games against Purdue and Ohio State.
BELL FINISHING STRONG IN SENIOR SEASON
• Senior Kenisha Bell leads the Gophers in several categories, including points per game (18.7), assists per game (4.4) and steals per game (2.00).
• Nationally, Bell is one of the best at getting to the free throw line, ranking third in attempts (163) and sixth in makes (111).
• She leads the Big Ten in free throws attempted and field goals attempted (316), ranks second in free throws made and steals (40) and is third in scoring average, steals per game and made field goals (126).
• After being named to preseason watch lists for the Nancy Lieberman Award (nation's top PG) and Naismith Trophy (nation's top player), Bell earned spots on midseason watch lists for the Wooden Award and the Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Award.
• Nationally, Bell is one of the best at getting to the free throw line, ranking third in attempts (163) and sixth in makes (111).
• She leads the Big Ten in free throws attempted and field goals attempted (316), ranks second in free throws made and steals (40) and is third in scoring average, steals per game and made field goals (126).
• After being named to preseason watch lists for the Nancy Lieberman Award (nation's top PG) and Naismith Trophy (nation's top player), Bell earned spots on midseason watch lists for the Wooden Award and the Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Award.
• Bell has also been a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll honoree.
LAMKE MAKING THE MOST OF HER SENIOR YEAR
• Annalese Lamke is making the most of her senior season. She has more recorded more points, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, rebounds and minutes this season alone than in her first three seasons combined.
• Excluding transfers and freshmen, no player among the Big Ten's top 30 scorers has seen their scoring average increase has much from last year to this as Lamke. Her +9.6 improvement from 1.1 points per game last year to 10.7 this year is 4.0 points better than Iowa's Hannah Stewart, who is at +5.6 from last year.
• Lamke is also currently the second-most improved rebounder in the conference, jumping from 0.7 per game last year to 6.2 this year, for a difference of +5.5.
• Lamke exploded for a career-high 21 in the Gophers' season-opening win over New Hampshire. She scored 17 points alone in the second half and recorded an efficient 9-of-12 shooting.
• Against No. 12 Syracuse on Nov. 29, she had a career-high 13 rebounds and nine rebounds. Lamke also had a 20-point outing against Wisconsin on Dec. 28 and scored 18 points (all in the first half) against Illinois on Jan. 6.
• Playing in her home state, she nearly had the first double-double of her career at Wisconsin on Jan. 17, posting 14 points and nine rebounds.
MINNESOTA NEAR THE TOP IN ATTENDANCE
• Excluding transfers and freshmen, no player among the Big Ten's top 30 scorers has seen their scoring average increase has much from last year to this as Lamke. Her +9.6 improvement from 1.1 points per game last year to 10.7 this year is 4.0 points better than Iowa's Hannah Stewart, who is at +5.6 from last year.
• Lamke is also currently the second-most improved rebounder in the conference, jumping from 0.7 per game last year to 6.2 this year, for a difference of +5.5.
• Lamke exploded for a career-high 21 in the Gophers' season-opening win over New Hampshire. She scored 17 points alone in the second half and recorded an efficient 9-of-12 shooting.
• Against No. 12 Syracuse on Nov. 29, she had a career-high 13 rebounds and nine rebounds. Lamke also had a 20-point outing against Wisconsin on Dec. 28 and scored 18 points (all in the first half) against Illinois on Jan. 6.
• Playing in her home state, she nearly had the first double-double of her career at Wisconsin on Jan. 17, posting 14 points and nine rebounds.
MINNESOTA NEAR THE TOP IN ATTENDANCE
• Through 14 home games, the Gophers have had a total attendance of 79,350 with an average of 5,668 per contest. Through Jan. 28, the team ranks eighth in the country in total attendance and No. 12 in average. Within the Big Ten, Minnesota ranks third in both categories behind only Purdue and Maryland.
• The average per game is the highest for the Gophers since 2007-08 when they averaged 6,596 and it's over 2,500 more than they averaged last year (3,130).
• Minnesota opened the 2018-19 season with a 70-47 win over New Hampshire on Nov. 9. The announced sellout crowd of 14,625 was a program record, surpassing the previous high of 14,363 set during Lindsay Whalen's senior season in 2004.
• Four of the top five marks in team history, and eight of the top 10, have come with Whalen as a player or coach.
• The season-opening sellout still stands as the highest attendance mark for any women's game this season by at least 800 people and nearly 2,000 more than third.
• The average per game is the highest for the Gophers since 2007-08 when they averaged 6,596 and it's over 2,500 more than they averaged last year (3,130).
• Minnesota opened the 2018-19 season with a 70-47 win over New Hampshire on Nov. 9. The announced sellout crowd of 14,625 was a program record, surpassing the previous high of 14,363 set during Lindsay Whalen's senior season in 2004.
• Four of the top five marks in team history, and eight of the top 10, have come with Whalen as a player or coach.
• The season-opening sellout still stands as the highest attendance mark for any women's game this season by at least 800 people and nearly 2,000 more than third.
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