University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, January 6
Williams Arena
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Illinois
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Return to the Barn to Host Illinois Sunday
1/4/2019 2:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- No. 12/13 (AP/Coaches) Minnesota (12-1, 1-1 B1G) returns to Williams Arena Sunday when it hosts Illinois (8-5, 0-2) at 3 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.
PROMOTIONS
• Faculty & Staff Appreciation: $6 Tickets to U of M Faculty and Staff
• Cub Family 4-Pack: 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 popcorn, and 4 drinks for $50
• Halftime Entertainment: Frisbee Dogs
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• 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 saw its season-opening win streak end at 12 games with a 76-60 loss at Michigan on Monday. The only better undefeated start in team history came in 2003-04 (15-0), while the Gophers also began the 2002-03 season 12-0. Those were head coach Lindsay Whalen's senior and junior seasons, respectively. The 12-game win streak tied for the third longest in program history and was the longest since the team's program-record 15-game streak that opened the 2003-04 season.
• With the 12-0 start, Whalen tied her former coach, Pam Borton, whose first year was 2002-03, for the best undefeated start by a coach in their first year at a Big Ten school since the incorporation of women's athletics in the conference in 1982-83. 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.
• Minnesota enters Sunday'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 16-6 all-time as the No. 12 team in the AP Poll and have won five of their last six games when holding that ranking. In addition, the Gophers are 6-1 against Illinois when ranked. Minnesota was also No. 13 in the Coaches Poll, its highest ranking in that poll since coming in at No. 10 on Feb. 6, 2006.
• Junior Taiye Bello scored a career-high 24 points in the loss at Michigan. She did it by making all nine shots from the floor and going 6-of-8 at the free throw line. Bello's performance makes her one of five Gophers in history to not miss when attempting at least nine field goals in a game.
SERIES HISTORY WITH ILLINOIS
• 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.
• 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.
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.
PROMOTIONS
• Goldy's Kids Club Game: Kids Club Members receive free admission for themselves and two guests
• Faculty & Staff Appreciation: $6 Tickets to U of M Faculty and Staff
• Cub Family 4-Pack: 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 popcorn, and 4 drinks for $50
• Halftime Entertainment: Frisbee Dogs
• Postgame: Autographs with select student-athletes
• Postgame: Autographs with select student-athletes
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• 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 saw its season-opening win streak end at 12 games with a 76-60 loss at Michigan on Monday. The only better undefeated start in team history came in 2003-04 (15-0), while the Gophers also began the 2002-03 season 12-0. Those were head coach Lindsay Whalen's senior and junior seasons, respectively. The 12-game win streak tied for the third longest in program history and was the longest since the team's program-record 15-game streak that opened the 2003-04 season.
• With the 12-0 start, Whalen tied her former coach, Pam Borton, whose first year was 2002-03, for the best undefeated start by a coach in their first year at a Big Ten school since the incorporation of women's athletics in the conference in 1982-83. 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.
• Minnesota enters Sunday'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 16-6 all-time as the No. 12 team in the AP Poll and have won five of their last six games when holding that ranking. In addition, the Gophers are 6-1 against Illinois when ranked. Minnesota was also No. 13 in the Coaches Poll, its highest ranking in that poll since coming in at No. 10 on Feb. 6, 2006.
• Junior Taiye Bello scored a career-high 24 points in the loss at Michigan. She did it by making all nine shots from the floor and going 6-of-8 at the free throw line. Bello's performance makes her one of five Gophers in history to not miss when attempting at least nine field goals in a game.
SERIES HISTORY WITH ILLINOIS
• Minnesota and Michigan meet for the 66th time on Sunday. The Gophers trail in the all-time series 36-29, but have won four straight (by an average score of 88-69) and five of the past six.
• In Minneapolis, the Gophers lead the Illini, 18-12. Minnesota has won three straight at home against Illinois, not losing there in the series since Jan. 28, 2013.
• In her playing career, Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen was 4-3 against Illinois (DNP in 2/15/04 game). She averaged 19.1 points, 6.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor and 85.1 percent from the free throw line.
LAST SEASON VS. ILLINOIS
• In Minneapolis, the Gophers lead the Illini, 18-12. Minnesota has won three straight at home against Illinois, not losing there in the series since Jan. 28, 2013.
• In her playing career, Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen was 4-3 against Illinois (DNP in 2/15/04 game). She averaged 19.1 points, 6.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor and 85.1 percent from the free throw line.
LAST SEASON VS. ILLINOIS
• Five Gophers reached double figures, including double-doubles for Taiye Bello and Carlie Wagner, in an 84-75 win last season in Champaign on Feb. 25.
• Bello had 10 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, 12 of which came on the offensive end. Wagner posted 21 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
• The game's leading scorer was Kenisha Bell, who finished with 24 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals and was 11-of-16 from the free throw line. Also reaching double figures were Destiny Pitts, who had 15 points, and Gadiva Hubbard, who had 10 points (all in the fourth quarter) and tied a career high with eight rebounds.
• The Gophers owned significant advantages over the Illini with a 53-36 edge in rebounds and 30 made free throws (on 39 attempts) compared to just nine (on 12 shots) for Illinois.
• Minnesota entered the second half with a 37-30 lead, but the Illini came out of the locker room on a 13-2 run that turned into a 20-6 stretch and an eventual 50-43 lead with 5:00 to play in the third.
• Trailing 55-47 with 3:11 to play in the quarter, the Gophers made their move. They closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to find themselves down just two points entering the fourth quarter and then scored the first 11 points of the final frame to score 17 unanswered points and lead 64-55 with 6:10 to play.
• The Illini closed to within six points multiple times and within five points with 20 seconds to go, but the Gophers hit 13-of-17 free throw attempts to ice the game away.
LAST TIME AT HOME AGAINST THE ILLINI
RECAPPING THE GAME AT MICHIGAN
• Bello had 10 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, 12 of which came on the offensive end. Wagner posted 21 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
• The game's leading scorer was Kenisha Bell, who finished with 24 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals and was 11-of-16 from the free throw line. Also reaching double figures were Destiny Pitts, who had 15 points, and Gadiva Hubbard, who had 10 points (all in the fourth quarter) and tied a career high with eight rebounds.
• The Gophers owned significant advantages over the Illini with a 53-36 edge in rebounds and 30 made free throws (on 39 attempts) compared to just nine (on 12 shots) for Illinois.
• Minnesota entered the second half with a 37-30 lead, but the Illini came out of the locker room on a 13-2 run that turned into a 20-6 stretch and an eventual 50-43 lead with 5:00 to play in the third.
• Trailing 55-47 with 3:11 to play in the quarter, the Gophers made their move. They closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to find themselves down just two points entering the fourth quarter and then scored the first 11 points of the final frame to score 17 unanswered points and lead 64-55 with 6:10 to play.
• The Illini closed to within six points multiple times and within five points with 20 seconds to go, but the Gophers hit 13-of-17 free throw attempts to ice the game away.
LAST TIME AT HOME AGAINST THE ILLINI
• The last time the teams met in Minneapolis, the Golden Gophers outrebounded the Illini 50-32 and shot 55.6 percent in the second half in a 78-50 victory.
• Carlie Wagner scored 25 points and added seven rebounds, while Kenisha Bell had 19 points, including 12 in the third quarter, and nine assists. Gadiva Hubbard tallied 15 points, and Joanna Hedstrom led the Gophers with nine rebounds.
• Minnesota began pulling away late in the first quarter and survived an early third quarter Illini run to go up by as much as 31 in the second half. Alex Wittinger led Illinois with 25 points and eight rebounds.
• Carlie Wagner scored 25 points and added seven rebounds, while Kenisha Bell had 19 points, including 12 in the third quarter, and nine assists. Gadiva Hubbard tallied 15 points, and Joanna Hedstrom led the Gophers with nine rebounds.
• Minnesota began pulling away late in the first quarter and survived an early third quarter Illini run to go up by as much as 31 in the second half. Alex Wittinger led Illinois with 25 points and eight rebounds.
RECAPPING THE GAME AT MICHIGAN
• Minnesota suffered its first loss of the season in a 76-60 setback at Michigan Monday.
• Minnesota was led Taiye Bello, who scored a career-high 24 points on a perfect 9-of-9 shooting from the floor and 6-of-8 at the free throw line. Bello, who scored 18 of her 24 points in the second half, also had seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
• In addition to Bello's 24 points, Kenisha Bell and Jasmine Brunson also reached double figures. Bell had 12 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists, while Brunson notched 10 points.
• Minnesota found itself down 15-13 after the first 10 minutes, its first time trailing after the first quarter this year. After the Gophers pulled ahead 20-19 less than three minutes into the second quarter, Michigan responded with a 21-2 run over the remainder of the first half to enter the locker room up 40-22.
• Trailing 65-41, Minnesota opened the fourth quarter on a 9-1 run to close the deficit to 16 points. A layup from Bello with 4:14 to play found the Gophers down 69-55, but that would be as close they would get.
• Minnesota outshot Michigan 42.6 to 42.4 percent, but was done in by 23 turnovers, tied for the most it had committed this year. Those led to 26 Michigan points.
• Minnesota was led Taiye Bello, who scored a career-high 24 points on a perfect 9-of-9 shooting from the floor and 6-of-8 at the free throw line. Bello, who scored 18 of her 24 points in the second half, also had seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
• In addition to Bello's 24 points, Kenisha Bell and Jasmine Brunson also reached double figures. Bell had 12 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists, while Brunson notched 10 points.
• Minnesota found itself down 15-13 after the first 10 minutes, its first time trailing after the first quarter this year. After the Gophers pulled ahead 20-19 less than three minutes into the second quarter, Michigan responded with a 21-2 run over the remainder of the first half to enter the locker room up 40-22.
• Trailing 65-41, Minnesota opened the fourth quarter on a 9-1 run to close the deficit to 16 points. A layup from Bello with 4:14 to play found the Gophers down 69-55, but that would be as close they would get.
• Minnesota outshot Michigan 42.6 to 42.4 percent, but was done in by 23 turnovers, tied for the most it had committed this year. Those led to 26 Michigan points.
TURNING UP THE DEFENSE
• The Golden Gophers currently rank third in the Big Ten and 21st in the country (out of 349) in scoring defense by allowing just 55.1 points per game. For comparison, last season Minnesota finished the year ranked 335th by allowing 74.8 points per game.
• Additionally, the Gophers are 19th in the country in rebounds per game (44.23), 24th in rebound margin (9.4), 26th in scoring margin (+18.0) and 29th in opponent field goal percentage (34.7).
• Advanced metrics, via HerHoopStats.com, also show how strong the Gopher defense has been. Minnesota is 10th in the nation in opponent points per play (shots+/FT trips+turnover) at 0.65, 13th in opponent points per 100 possessions at 76.5, 16th in opponent points per scoring attempt (shots+FT trips) at 0.82 and 20th in both opponent field goal percentage on two-pointers at 36.8, and opponent effective FG% (accounts for the value of 3-point shots: (FG + 0.5*3P) / FGA)) at 38.7%.
• Additionally, the Gophers are 19th in the country in rebounds per game (44.23), 24th in rebound margin (9.4), 26th in scoring margin (+18.0) and 29th in opponent field goal percentage (34.7).
• Advanced metrics, via HerHoopStats.com, also show how strong the Gopher defense has been. Minnesota is 10th in the nation in opponent points per play (shots+/FT trips+turnover) at 0.65, 13th in opponent points per 100 possessions at 76.5, 16th in opponent points per scoring attempt (shots+FT trips) at 0.82 and 20th in both opponent field goal percentage on two-pointers at 36.8, and opponent effective FG% (accounts for the value of 3-point shots: (FG + 0.5*3P) / FGA)) at 38.7%.
• 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 Thursday, Taiye Bello was second in the country in offensive rebounds per game (5) and was fourth both in total rebounds (170) and rebounds per game (13.1) She is also 20th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (8) and 27th 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 13.1 this year. The +6.8 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).
• 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 13.1 this year. The +6.8 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 520 minutes played through 13 games, Minnesota has played with the lead for a total of 425:46 and trailed for just 70:22.
• In six the games this year the Gophers went the entire game without playing from behind. Most of the team's time trailing has come in just two games: at Michigan (32:10) and against San Diego (20:13).
• In six the games this year the Gophers went the entire game without playing from behind. Most of the team's time trailing has come in just two games: at Michigan (32:10) and against San Diego (20:13).
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