University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, January 12
Champaign, Ill.
2:00 PM
University of Minnesota
71
at
74
Illinois
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Late Comeback Falls Short at Illinois
1/12/2020 7:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Despite four players in double figures, Minnesota (11-5, 1-4 Big Ten) was unable to complete a late comeback in a 74-71 loss Sunday at Illinois (10-6, 1-4).
Freshmen Sara Scalia and Jasmine Powell were the top scorers for Minnesota, while senior Jasmine Brunson and junior Gadiva Hubbard also reached double figures.
After scoring 20 points in her past three games combined, Scalia busted out for 16 points Sunday thanks to three 3-pointers, and she matched a career high with seven rebounds and 37 minutes played.
Powell's 15 points were the most she had scored since putting up 16 against Milwaukee on Nov. 14, while Brunson's 14 points were one off a season high. Hubbard's 12 points were aided by a game-high five assists.
The Illini had their biggest lead of the game at 68-56 with 4:28 to play but the Gophers wouldn't go down without a fight.
Scalia made a three and Brunson followed with a jumper to cut the lead to seven with 3:20 to go. After a pair of made free throws for Illinois' Petra Holesínská, who had a game-high 28 points, Hubbard got it to within six on a 3-pointer.
After Holesínská and Powell traded more free throws, Brunson hit a 3-pointer in the corner, stole the ball on the ensuing possession and fed Powell for a layup to get Minnesota within one at 72-71 with 1:11 to play.
Illinois' Brandi Beasley then missed a 3-pointer and the Gophers missed a pair of shots on the other end before getting the ball out of bounds underneath their own basket. Unfortunately, the inbounds pass was stolen and Beasley made a pair of free throws to push the lead back to three at 74-71 with 11 seconds to go.
Minnesota had a chance to tie it up but Powell's 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the rim.
In addition to the four players in double figures, the Gophers also got extended minutes and solid performances from freshmen Klarke Sconiers and Barbora Tomancova, who were both appearing in their seventh games of the year, as well as senior Masha Adashchyk.
Sconiers set career highs for rebounds (5) and minutes (19) and was one off her career high in points (6). Meanwhile, Tomancova had a career-high nine rebounds after having nine rebounds on the season coming into the contest.
Adashchyk tallied eight points and matched a personal best with four rebounds.
Minnesota is back home Thursday when it faces Iowa at 7 p.m. on BTN Plus.
Freshmen Sara Scalia and Jasmine Powell were the top scorers for Minnesota, while senior Jasmine Brunson and junior Gadiva Hubbard also reached double figures.
After scoring 20 points in her past three games combined, Scalia busted out for 16 points Sunday thanks to three 3-pointers, and she matched a career high with seven rebounds and 37 minutes played.
Powell's 15 points were the most she had scored since putting up 16 against Milwaukee on Nov. 14, while Brunson's 14 points were one off a season high. Hubbard's 12 points were aided by a game-high five assists.
The Illini had their biggest lead of the game at 68-56 with 4:28 to play but the Gophers wouldn't go down without a fight.
Scalia made a three and Brunson followed with a jumper to cut the lead to seven with 3:20 to go. After a pair of made free throws for Illinois' Petra Holesínská, who had a game-high 28 points, Hubbard got it to within six on a 3-pointer.
After Holesínská and Powell traded more free throws, Brunson hit a 3-pointer in the corner, stole the ball on the ensuing possession and fed Powell for a layup to get Minnesota within one at 72-71 with 1:11 to play.
Illinois' Brandi Beasley then missed a 3-pointer and the Gophers missed a pair of shots on the other end before getting the ball out of bounds underneath their own basket. Unfortunately, the inbounds pass was stolen and Beasley made a pair of free throws to push the lead back to three at 74-71 with 11 seconds to go.
Minnesota had a chance to tie it up but Powell's 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the rim.
In addition to the four players in double figures, the Gophers also got extended minutes and solid performances from freshmen Klarke Sconiers and Barbora Tomancova, who were both appearing in their seventh games of the year, as well as senior Masha Adashchyk.
Sconiers set career highs for rebounds (5) and minutes (19) and was one off her career high in points (6). Meanwhile, Tomancova had a career-high nine rebounds after having nine rebounds on the season coming into the contest.
Adashchyk tallied eight points and matched a personal best with four rebounds.
Minnesota is back home Thursday when it faces Iowa at 7 p.m. on BTN Plus.
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