Notes from the Non-Conference

MINNEAPOLIS -- Before attention turns to Big Ten play this weekend, take a look back at some of the top moments, performances and notes from the non-conference portion of the Minnesota women's basketball team's 2019-20 schedule.

Team Notes
- The Gophers are 10-1 heading into next Saturday's Big Ten opener at Penn State. It's the third straight year the Gophers have won 10 or more non-conference games in the regular season, and they are 21-1 under head coach Lindsay Whalen over the last two seasons in those games.
- The 10-1 record currently stands as the fifth best one-loss start in program history.
- Minnesota's 9-1 start to the year tied for the fourth best start through 10 games in program history.
- The team's current 10-game win streak is tied for the sixth longest in program history.
Game Highlights
- Making 11-of-18 3-pointers against Missouri State (11/5), Minnesota's 61.1 percent on 3-pointers was seventh best all-time.
- Five turnovers committed against Vermont (11/10) tied for third fewest since the 1982-83 season.
- Milwaukee's 33 turnovers tied for 10^th most by a Minnesota opponent and were the most since North Dakota State had 35 turnovers on Nov. 24, 2009.
- Trailing by as many as 12, the Gophers recorded a 71-60 win over Montana State (11/23) for their biggest comeback win since overcoming a 13-point deficit in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament against Green Bay.
- Minnesota's 41 made field goals against Bryant (11/26) tied for eighth most in a game at Minnesota. In addition, going 11-of-11 at the line marked the second most makes without a miss in program history behind a 17-for-17 performance against Indiana (3/7/19).
- The team's 33-point margin of victory at George Washington (12/10) tied for the seventh largest road win in program history and was the second largest in the last 37 years. Also, the Gophers' 13 made 3-pointers tied for 10^th most at Minnesota.
Taiye Bello
- Bello holds the school record for career offensive rebounds (395) and ranks sixth in team history in games with 10+ rebounds (35) and double-doubles (21), seventh in defensive rebounds (434) and total rebounds (829), eighth in blocks (107) and 10th in rebound average (8.0)
- She was named the co-Big Ten Player of the Week on Dec. 9 as she averaged a double-double with 20.5 points and 13.0 rebounds. She had 16 points and a season-high 16 rebounds at Notre Dame, then posted a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds at American.
- Her six blocks against Milwaukee (11/14) tied for ninth most in Minnesota history.
- Bello's eight offensive rebounds versus Montana State (11/23) brought her career total to 363 to pass Janel McCarville (361) for the program record.
Gadiva Hubbard
- Her 3-point shooting percentage of .426 this season ranks sixth in program history (min. 50 attempts)
Destiny Pitts
- Pitts was named USBWA National Player of the Week and Big Ten Player of the Week after averaging 21.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game in wins over George Washington and UC Davis.
- She was also selected to the Big Ten Honor Roll on Nov. 25 after scoring 26 points, including 19 in the second half, as Minnesota rallied from a 12-point deficit to beat Montana State, 71-60, on Nov. 23.
- Her 3-point shooting percentage of .453 this season ranks third in program history (min. 50 attempts)
- She ranks fifth in program history in career 3-pointers made (205) and attempted (546), seventh in 3-point percentage (min. 200 att.) at .375, ninth in scoring average (14.8), 10th in 20-point games (21) and 19th in career points (1,133)
- Pitts became the 25th player at Minnesota to reach 1,000 career points when she scored 22 against Arizona State (11/17). She did it in 69 career games, the ninth fewest in program history. Pitts also had a career-high seven assists in the game.
Jasmine Powell
- Against Vermont (11/10), Powell came off the bench to lead Minnesota with a career-high 19 points. It was the highest-scoring performance from a Gophers non-starter since Destiny Pitts scored 20 during the third game of her freshman year on Nov. 16, 2017.
Sara Scalia
- Scalia was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Dec. 2 after scoring career-high 20 points with seven rebounds in a 101-56 win over Bryant on Nov. 26.

And, of course, we can't forget Dec. 15 when Janel McCarville's banner went up to the rafters of Williams Arena.

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Players Mentioned

Taiye Bello

Gadiva Hubbard

Destiny Pitts

Jasmine Powell

Sara Scalia