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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Close Out 2019 by Hosting Ohio State Tuesday
12/29/2019 2:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- Riding an 11-game win streak, Minnesota (11-1, 1-0 B1G) welcomes Ohio State (7-5, 0-1) to Williams Arena Tuesday for its Big Ten home opener. The game, which starts at 4 p.m. CT, can be seen on BTN Plus and heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
FACING OHIO STATE
OFFENSE UP IN YEAR TWO UNDER WHALEN
FRESHMEN POWELL, SCALIA MAKING INSTANT IMPACT
GOPHERS WINNING TURNOVER BATTLE
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• After falling in the season opener to a Missouri State team that currently ranks 21st in the AP Poll, Minnesota has rattled off 11 straight wins. It's the sixth longest win streak in program history and the longest since the team opened last season with 12 straight victories. Through Saturday's games, the Gophers are tied with five other teams for the third longest active win streak nationally. Only Arizona (17) and Florida State (12) are currently on longer winning streaks.
• Minnesota is 19-18 all-time in Big Ten home openers, including a win last year over Wisconsin. This season will be the fourth time that Minnesota opens league action at home against Ohio State. The Golden Gophers won in the 1991-92 and 2012-13 Big Ten home openers, while the Buckeyes prevailed in the 1995-96 encounter in Minneapolis.
• Having defeated Penn State, 81-74, in the Big Ten opener Saturday, Minnesota is looking to win its first two conference games in a season for the first time since starting league play 3-0 in 2014-15.
• The Gophers' 11-1 record is the fifth best one-loss start in program annals. Minnesota started 15-1 in both 2002-03 and 2003-04, while in 2014-15 it began the year 14-1. A year ago, the Gophers started the season 12-1.
• Minnesota is 7-1 at home this year, winning each of its last seven games. A win Tuesday would tie for the 10th longest home win streak in program history and would be the best since the Gophers won 10 in a row to start last season. Dating to last year, the team has won 12 of its past 13 contests at Williams Arena, including two Top-25 wins. All-time, Minnesota boasts a .701 winning percentage at The Barn (363-155).
• Senior Taiye Bello has posted double-doubles in six games this year, including a stretch of four straight at one point. She also has three other games this year where she was either one point or one rebound away from a double-double. Her six double-doubles lead the Big Ten and are 16th nationally. In her career, Bello has 21 double-doubles to rank sixth in Gophers history, and the Gophers are 19-2 in those games. She is just one of 28 players in the country, and only one of two from the Big Ten, to be averaging a double-double. Even better, she's one of just 25 players nationally with her averages of 13.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game this year.
• Minnesota is 19-18 all-time in Big Ten home openers, including a win last year over Wisconsin. This season will be the fourth time that Minnesota opens league action at home against Ohio State. The Golden Gophers won in the 1991-92 and 2012-13 Big Ten home openers, while the Buckeyes prevailed in the 1995-96 encounter in Minneapolis.
• Having defeated Penn State, 81-74, in the Big Ten opener Saturday, Minnesota is looking to win its first two conference games in a season for the first time since starting league play 3-0 in 2014-15.
• The Gophers' 11-1 record is the fifth best one-loss start in program annals. Minnesota started 15-1 in both 2002-03 and 2003-04, while in 2014-15 it began the year 14-1. A year ago, the Gophers started the season 12-1.
• Minnesota is 7-1 at home this year, winning each of its last seven games. A win Tuesday would tie for the 10th longest home win streak in program history and would be the best since the Gophers won 10 in a row to start last season. Dating to last year, the team has won 12 of its past 13 contests at Williams Arena, including two Top-25 wins. All-time, Minnesota boasts a .701 winning percentage at The Barn (363-155).
• Senior Taiye Bello has posted double-doubles in six games this year, including a stretch of four straight at one point. She also has three other games this year where she was either one point or one rebound away from a double-double. Her six double-doubles lead the Big Ten and are 16th nationally. In her career, Bello has 21 double-doubles to rank sixth in Gophers history, and the Gophers are 19-2 in those games. She is just one of 28 players in the country, and only one of two from the Big Ten, to be averaging a double-double. Even better, she's one of just 25 players nationally with her averages of 13.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game this year.
FACING OHIO STATE
• Minnesota and Ohio State will meet for the 75th time on Tuesday. It's Minnesota's third-most played series behind only Iowa (78 meetings) and Wisconsin (77).
• Series history has not been in the Gophers' favor as they trail the Buckeyes, 58-16, and have lost five straight. The five-game losing streak is their longest active streak against one team, while the 58 all-time losses are their most against any other program.
• In Minneapolis, Ohio State holds a 22-11 series lead, including each of the last two. Prior to that, the Gophers had won four straight at Williams Arena against OSU.
• Minnesota freshman Klarke Sconiers and Ohio State freshman Kaelynn Satterfield were teammates at Christ the King High School in New York.
• Minnesota head coach Lindsay Whalen was teammates with Ohio State assistant coach Tamika Williams during the 2008 WNBA season with the Connecticut Sun.
• Ohio State is 7-5 on the season. The Buckeyes had won four of its last five games entering Big Ten play, including a 67-60 upset of then-No. 2 Louisville on Dec. 6, but fell to Purdue on Saturday, 66-50, in their league opener.
• Dorka Juhasz is the team's only player in double figures, averging 13.3 points per game. She is also OSU's top rebounder at 8.2 boards per contest, ranking fifth in the Big Ten.
• Braxtin Miller is second in the Big Ten with a 2.65 assist-to-turnover ratio, while Aaliyah Patty is fourth in the league with 1.5 blocks per game.
LAST SEASON AGAINST OHIO STATE
• Series history has not been in the Gophers' favor as they trail the Buckeyes, 58-16, and have lost five straight. The five-game losing streak is their longest active streak against one team, while the 58 all-time losses are their most against any other program.
• In Minneapolis, Ohio State holds a 22-11 series lead, including each of the last two. Prior to that, the Gophers had won four straight at Williams Arena against OSU.
• Minnesota freshman Klarke Sconiers and Ohio State freshman Kaelynn Satterfield were teammates at Christ the King High School in New York.
• Minnesota head coach Lindsay Whalen was teammates with Ohio State assistant coach Tamika Williams during the 2008 WNBA season with the Connecticut Sun.
• Ohio State is 7-5 on the season. The Buckeyes had won four of its last five games entering Big Ten play, including a 67-60 upset of then-No. 2 Louisville on Dec. 6, but fell to Purdue on Saturday, 66-50, in their league opener.
• Dorka Juhasz is the team's only player in double figures, averging 13.3 points per game. She is also OSU's top rebounder at 8.2 boards per contest, ranking fifth in the Big Ten.
• Braxtin Miller is second in the Big Ten with a 2.65 assist-to-turnover ratio, while Aaliyah Patty is fourth in the league with 1.5 blocks per game.
LAST SEASON AGAINST OHIO STATE
• Three Gophers reached double figures, including a double-double for Taiye Bello, but Minnesota lost at home to Ohio State last season, 65-55, on Jan. 28.
• Bello went for 12 points and 18 rebounds, 13 of which were on the defensive end. She 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 finished with a team-high 19 points as she was 7-of-13 from the floor, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range.
• 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 came on a Pitts 3-pointer with 2:27 to play in the opening half that 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 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. Back-and-forth scoring then made it 43-43 entering the fourth quarter.
• A jumper from Bello put Minnesota ahead 45-43 to open the final frame, 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.
RECAPPING THE WIN AT PENN STATE
• Bello went for 12 points and 18 rebounds, 13 of which were on the defensive end. She 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 finished with a team-high 19 points as she was 7-of-13 from the floor, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range.
• 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 came on a Pitts 3-pointer with 2:27 to play in the opening half that 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 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. Back-and-forth scoring then made it 43-43 entering the fourth quarter.
• A jumper from Bello put Minnesota ahead 45-43 to open the final frame, 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.
RECAPPING THE WIN AT PENN STATE
• Minnesota rode a hot start to an 81-74 victory Saturday at Penn State, claiming its B1G opener for the third year in a row.
• Sara Scalia (22) and Destiny Pitts (21) posted their third and fifth 20-point games of the season, respectively, to lead the Gophers' offense.
• Scalia scored 10 of her 22 points in the first quarter and had 15 in the first half. She set a career high with five 3-pointers made and matched career bests in both rebounds (7) and assists (4). Pitts made three 3-pointers, was 6-of-8 at the free throw line and added five rebounds and three assists.
• Minnesota, which never trailed, outscored the Lady Lions 28-10 in the opening quarter. It was the team's highest scoring opening quarter this season and its second highest overall. The team shot 73 percent from the floor in the frame and held Penn State to 18 percent shooting.
• The second quarter was nearly a repeat as the Golden Gophers held a 26-11 edge in the frame to lead 54-21 at halftime. It tied for the most points Minnesota scored in any half this season. Minnesota shot 64 percent in the half, while Penn State was limited to 21 percent.
• Penn State climbed back into the game, though, in the third quarter by outscoring Minnesota, 19-8, holding the Gophers to their lowest point total in a quarter this year.
• The lead was 62-40 for Minnesota heading into the fourth quarter, but the Lady Lions kept fighting. They held a 34-19 edge in the frame. Penn State opened the fourth on a 14-5 run before a clutch 3-pointer from Scalia stopped the comeback.
• Sara Scalia (22) and Destiny Pitts (21) posted their third and fifth 20-point games of the season, respectively, to lead the Gophers' offense.
• Scalia scored 10 of her 22 points in the first quarter and had 15 in the first half. She set a career high with five 3-pointers made and matched career bests in both rebounds (7) and assists (4). Pitts made three 3-pointers, was 6-of-8 at the free throw line and added five rebounds and three assists.
• Minnesota, which never trailed, outscored the Lady Lions 28-10 in the opening quarter. It was the team's highest scoring opening quarter this season and its second highest overall. The team shot 73 percent from the floor in the frame and held Penn State to 18 percent shooting.
• The second quarter was nearly a repeat as the Golden Gophers held a 26-11 edge in the frame to lead 54-21 at halftime. It tied for the most points Minnesota scored in any half this season. Minnesota shot 64 percent in the half, while Penn State was limited to 21 percent.
• Penn State climbed back into the game, though, in the third quarter by outscoring Minnesota, 19-8, holding the Gophers to their lowest point total in a quarter this year.
• The lead was 62-40 for Minnesota heading into the fourth quarter, but the Lady Lions kept fighting. They held a 34-19 edge in the frame. Penn State opened the fourth on a 14-5 run before a clutch 3-pointer from Scalia stopped the comeback.
OFFENSE UP IN YEAR TWO UNDER WHALEN
• Through 12 games, the Minnesota offense has picked up its scoring and production in year two under head coach Lindsay Whalen.
• The Gophers are averaging 79.2 points per game this year, five points better than the 74.2 points they were averaging at this same stage a season ago.
• The Gophers' shooting percentage on 3-pointers is nearly 90 points better than last year even though they have 78 more attempts this year. The team's current .406 mark on 3-pointers is on pace to break the school record of .399 set in 1988-89.
• Individually, Destiny Pitts is shooting 46.3 percent (37-80) on 3-pointers this year, after making 36.0 percent (27-75) through 12 games a year ago. In addition, freshman Sara Scalia (44.9%) and redshirt junior Gadiva Hubbard (42.4%), who missed last year with an injury, have also bolstered the 3-point shooting.
• Minnesota is also 87 points better on free throws as it leads the Big Ten and ranks 28th nationally by shooting .760 percent from the line. That would tie for the third best mark in program history.
• At the line, six Gophers have attempted at least 10 free throws this year and all are shooting better than 73 percent, including Pitts (84.8) and Jasmine Powell (76.1), who rank second and ninth, respectively, in the B1G in free throw percentage. Last year at this stage, of the six players with at least 10 attempts, only two were above 67 percent.
• The Gophers are averaging 79.2 points per game this year, five points better than the 74.2 points they were averaging at this same stage a season ago.
• The Gophers' shooting percentage on 3-pointers is nearly 90 points better than last year even though they have 78 more attempts this year. The team's current .406 mark on 3-pointers is on pace to break the school record of .399 set in 1988-89.
• Individually, Destiny Pitts is shooting 46.3 percent (37-80) on 3-pointers this year, after making 36.0 percent (27-75) through 12 games a year ago. In addition, freshman Sara Scalia (44.9%) and redshirt junior Gadiva Hubbard (42.4%), who missed last year with an injury, have also bolstered the 3-point shooting.
• Minnesota is also 87 points better on free throws as it leads the Big Ten and ranks 28th nationally by shooting .760 percent from the line. That would tie for the third best mark in program history.
• At the line, six Gophers have attempted at least 10 free throws this year and all are shooting better than 73 percent, including Pitts (84.8) and Jasmine Powell (76.1), who rank second and ninth, respectively, in the B1G in free throw percentage. Last year at this stage, of the six players with at least 10 attempts, only two were above 67 percent.
FRESHMEN POWELL, SCALIA MAKING INSTANT IMPACT
• Minnesota has six freshmen on its 2019-20 roster and some are already making significant contributions.
• Sara Scalia, who has started every contest this year except for the season opener, is second on the team in field goal percentage (.495), 3-point percentage (.449), free throw percentage (.846), minutes per game (29.7) and steals (23), is third in rebounding average (4.2) and ranks fourth in scoring (11.3).
• Against Bryant on Nov. 26, she scored a 20 points and tied a career high with seven rebounds en route to being named B1G Freshman of the Week. She later followed that up at George Washington on Dec. 10 when she set or tied multiple career highs, including points (23), rebounds (7), steals (4) and blocks (2). She also scored 22 points at Penn State on Dec. 28, tying a career high with five 3-pointers made and matching career bests in both rebounds (7) and assists (4).
• Jasmine Powell, who has come off the bench in all 12 games, is fifth on the team in scoring at 9.8 points per game and has a 2.10-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. She's also 35-of-46 (.761) at the line to rank third on the team in free throws made and ninth in the B1G in percentage.
• Powell put up 19 points against Vermont on Nov. 10, the most by a non-starter at Minnesota since teammate Destiny Pitts had 20 on Nov. 16, 2017, and has scored in double figures in four games this year.
• With Scalia averaging 11.3 points per game and Powell at 9.8, the Gophers' duo is showing the makings of one of the top freshman scoring combinations in recent program history. In the last 25 years, the only other season in which more than one freshman averaged at least 9.0 points per game came in 2000-01 when current head coach Lindsay Whalen (17.0) and Tanisha Gilbert (14.7) did it.
• Additionally, the four freshmen that have played this year, including Klarke Sconiers (3.7 ppg) and Barbora Tomancova (0.8), have combined for 25.5 points per game, the highest figure among Gopher freshmen in the last 13 years and third largest in the last 25 years.
• Sara Scalia, who has started every contest this year except for the season opener, is second on the team in field goal percentage (.495), 3-point percentage (.449), free throw percentage (.846), minutes per game (29.7) and steals (23), is third in rebounding average (4.2) and ranks fourth in scoring (11.3).
• Against Bryant on Nov. 26, she scored a 20 points and tied a career high with seven rebounds en route to being named B1G Freshman of the Week. She later followed that up at George Washington on Dec. 10 when she set or tied multiple career highs, including points (23), rebounds (7), steals (4) and blocks (2). She also scored 22 points at Penn State on Dec. 28, tying a career high with five 3-pointers made and matching career bests in both rebounds (7) and assists (4).
• Jasmine Powell, who has come off the bench in all 12 games, is fifth on the team in scoring at 9.8 points per game and has a 2.10-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. She's also 35-of-46 (.761) at the line to rank third on the team in free throws made and ninth in the B1G in percentage.
• Powell put up 19 points against Vermont on Nov. 10, the most by a non-starter at Minnesota since teammate Destiny Pitts had 20 on Nov. 16, 2017, and has scored in double figures in four games this year.
• With Scalia averaging 11.3 points per game and Powell at 9.8, the Gophers' duo is showing the makings of one of the top freshman scoring combinations in recent program history. In the last 25 years, the only other season in which more than one freshman averaged at least 9.0 points per game came in 2000-01 when current head coach Lindsay Whalen (17.0) and Tanisha Gilbert (14.7) did it.
• Additionally, the four freshmen that have played this year, including Klarke Sconiers (3.7 ppg) and Barbora Tomancova (0.8), have combined for 25.5 points per game, the highest figure among Gopher freshmen in the last 13 years and third largest in the last 25 years.
GOPHERS WINNING TURNOVER BATTLE
• Minnesota is winning the turnover battle so far, forcing 225 turnovers while giving the ball away just 150 times through 12 games.
• Not only do the Gophers rank second in the Big Ten and 16th nationally with with just 12.5 turnovers committed per game, they are also third in the B1G in turnover margin (+6.25; 23rd nationally), third in turnovers forced per game (18.75) and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.25; 23rd nationally).
• In terms of taking care of the ball, against Vermont on Nov. 10 the Gophers only committed five turnovers, which tied for the third fewest in program history. The Gophers have had three games this year with less than 10 turnovers and only three contests where it has turned the ball over more than 15 times.
• Five times this year Minnesota has forced opponents into at least 20 turnovers. Against Milwaukee on Nov. 14, Minnesota forced the Panthers into 33 turnovers, which tied for the 10th most forced in program history. The Gophers then turned those 33 turnovers into 35 points.
• Converting turnovers into points has been a trend for the Gophers all season. They have turned 225 takeaways into 282 points this year, an average of 1.25 points for every turnover forced.
• Not only do the Gophers rank second in the Big Ten and 16th nationally with with just 12.5 turnovers committed per game, they are also third in the B1G in turnover margin (+6.25; 23rd nationally), third in turnovers forced per game (18.75) and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.25; 23rd nationally).
• In terms of taking care of the ball, against Vermont on Nov. 10 the Gophers only committed five turnovers, which tied for the third fewest in program history. The Gophers have had three games this year with less than 10 turnovers and only three contests where it has turned the ball over more than 15 times.
• Five times this year Minnesota has forced opponents into at least 20 turnovers. Against Milwaukee on Nov. 14, Minnesota forced the Panthers into 33 turnovers, which tied for the 10th most forced in program history. The Gophers then turned those 33 turnovers into 35 points.
• Converting turnovers into points has been a trend for the Gophers all season. They have turned 225 takeaways into 282 points this year, an average of 1.25 points for every turnover forced.
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Wyoming
Tuesday, December 16
Highlights: Gophers 80, Wyoming 34
Sunday, December 14
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Alabama A&M
Friday, December 12
Highlights: Gophers 82, Alabama A&M 44
Wednesday, December 10