University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, February 3
Williams Arena
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
60
vs
46
Rutgers
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2
3
4
F
Rutgers
10
13
10
13
46
Minnesota
10
7
22
21
60
Photo by: Bruce Kluckhohn
Defense Carries Gophers Past No. 17 Rutgers
2/3/2019 7:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- A stingy Minnesota defense led the way as the Golden Gophers knocked off first-place No. 17/19 Rutgers, 60-46, Sunday afternoon at Williams Arena.
The Golden Gophers (15-7, 4-7 B1G) held the Scarlet Knights (17-5, 9-2) to just 33.9 percent shooting, including 26.7 percent in a pivotal third quarter. The 46 points scored by Rutgers were 21 points fewer than their conference scoring average entering the game and 19.4 below their season average. It was also the lowest total by a Big Ten opponent versus the Gophers since an 80-46 win over Rutgers on Feb. 11, 2017.
Junior Taiye Bello posted her eight double-double of the season with 11 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. It tied for the sixth highest total in Gopher history, and they were the most by a Gopher since Amanda Zahui B. had 22 rebounds against DePaul in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Ten of the rebounds were on the offensive end, while the other 11 came on defense. She was also 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
Bello was one of four Gophers in double figures with senior Kenisha Bell leading the way with 19 points, including a 9-of-10 effort at the free throw line and a game-high five assists. Sophomore Destiny Pitts added 14 points, highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers, while junior Jasmine Brunson chipped in with 13 points.
Tied 10-10 after the first quarter, Rutgers dominated most of the second quarter. The Scarlet Knights opened the quarter on a 9-0 run through the first 5:55, but the Gophers were able to end the first half on a high note thanks to a 7-2 run. At halftime, Rutgers led 23-17.
The third quarter was all Minnesota as it outscored Rutgers, 22-10. Down 31-26 with 3:36 to play in the third, the Gophers embarked on an 11-0 run in just 1:18 on the clock. Bell converted an and-one play, while Brunson followed with a jumper to even the game at 31-31. Bello and Brunson then followed with three-point plays of their own to cap the run.
Extending into the fourth quarter, the run ended up being 16-2 for Minnesota and they led 42-33 on a 3-pointer from Pitts less than 30 seconds into the final quarter. From there, Rutgers never got closer than five points.
Free throws were vital to Minnesota in the game, making 25-of-31 (80.6 percent) for the second highest total made in a game this year and their third time being above 80 percent. In the second half, the Gophers were 16-of-17 (94.1 percent) at the line. Conversely, Rutgers was just 5-of-10 at the line.
Turnovers were also a key factor in the game. Rutgers forced Minnesota into 14 turnovers in the first half, including nine in the opening quarter. However, the Gophers took better control of the ball in the second half and committed just four turnovers in the third and fourth quarters combined. Five of Rutgers' 16 turnovers came in the fourth quarter.
Minnesota now takes its two-game win streak to Bloomington, Ind., Wednesday night when they face Indiana at 6 p.m. on BTN Plus.
GAME NOTES
Minnesota is now 3-4 all-time against Rutgers, including a 3-0 mark at home ... the home team has won every game in the series ... the Gophers are 11-4 at home this season ... Minnesota is 2-2 against Top 25 teams this year ... Sunday marked the eighth time this year Minnesota held an opponent to 50 points or fewer ... with her 10 offensive rebounds, Taiye Bello has 114 this year to jump from 10th to sixth n Gophers single-season history ...Bello's 11 defensive rebounds give her 170 on the season, tying for ninth in a season at Minnesota ... with 14 field goal attempts, Kenisha Bell now has 1,312 in her career to crack the school's all-time top-10 list ... Sunday was Bell's 20th game in double figures this year ... Destiny Pitts tied a season high with seven rebounds ... junior Jasmine Brunson played a career-high 40 minutes
The Golden Gophers (15-7, 4-7 B1G) held the Scarlet Knights (17-5, 9-2) to just 33.9 percent shooting, including 26.7 percent in a pivotal third quarter. The 46 points scored by Rutgers were 21 points fewer than their conference scoring average entering the game and 19.4 below their season average. It was also the lowest total by a Big Ten opponent versus the Gophers since an 80-46 win over Rutgers on Feb. 11, 2017.
Junior Taiye Bello posted her eight double-double of the season with 11 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. It tied for the sixth highest total in Gopher history, and they were the most by a Gopher since Amanda Zahui B. had 22 rebounds against DePaul in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Ten of the rebounds were on the offensive end, while the other 11 came on defense. She was also 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
Bello was one of four Gophers in double figures with senior Kenisha Bell leading the way with 19 points, including a 9-of-10 effort at the free throw line and a game-high five assists. Sophomore Destiny Pitts added 14 points, highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers, while junior Jasmine Brunson chipped in with 13 points.
Tied 10-10 after the first quarter, Rutgers dominated most of the second quarter. The Scarlet Knights opened the quarter on a 9-0 run through the first 5:55, but the Gophers were able to end the first half on a high note thanks to a 7-2 run. At halftime, Rutgers led 23-17.
The third quarter was all Minnesota as it outscored Rutgers, 22-10. Down 31-26 with 3:36 to play in the third, the Gophers embarked on an 11-0 run in just 1:18 on the clock. Bell converted an and-one play, while Brunson followed with a jumper to even the game at 31-31. Bello and Brunson then followed with three-point plays of their own to cap the run.
Extending into the fourth quarter, the run ended up being 16-2 for Minnesota and they led 42-33 on a 3-pointer from Pitts less than 30 seconds into the final quarter. From there, Rutgers never got closer than five points.
Free throws were vital to Minnesota in the game, making 25-of-31 (80.6 percent) for the second highest total made in a game this year and their third time being above 80 percent. In the second half, the Gophers were 16-of-17 (94.1 percent) at the line. Conversely, Rutgers was just 5-of-10 at the line.
Turnovers were also a key factor in the game. Rutgers forced Minnesota into 14 turnovers in the first half, including nine in the opening quarter. However, the Gophers took better control of the ball in the second half and committed just four turnovers in the third and fourth quarters combined. Five of Rutgers' 16 turnovers came in the fourth quarter.
Minnesota now takes its two-game win streak to Bloomington, Ind., Wednesday night when they face Indiana at 6 p.m. on BTN Plus.
GAME NOTES
Minnesota is now 3-4 all-time against Rutgers, including a 3-0 mark at home ... the home team has won every game in the series ... the Gophers are 11-4 at home this season ... Minnesota is 2-2 against Top 25 teams this year ... Sunday marked the eighth time this year Minnesota held an opponent to 50 points or fewer ... with her 10 offensive rebounds, Taiye Bello has 114 this year to jump from 10th to sixth n Gophers single-season history ...Bello's 11 defensive rebounds give her 170 on the season, tying for ninth in a season at Minnesota ... with 14 field goal attempts, Kenisha Bell now has 1,312 in her career to crack the school's all-time top-10 list ... Sunday was Bell's 20th game in double figures this year ... Destiny Pitts tied a season high with seven rebounds ... junior Jasmine Brunson played a career-high 40 minutes
Team Stats
F-587
F-428
FG%
.339
.320
3FG%
.158
.231
FT%
.500
.806
RB
31
44
TO
16
18
STL
12
7
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
9
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
11
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG/F
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