University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, January 19
West Lafayette, Ind.
1:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Purdue
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Minnesota Looks to Continue Recent Success at Mackey Arena Sunday
1/18/2020 10:03:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- In the only matchup between the teams this season, Minnesota (11-6, 1-5 B1G) visits Purdue (12-6, 3-3) Sunday afternoon.
The game, which starts at 1 p.m. CT, can be streamed on BTNPlus.com and heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
FACING PURDUE
LAST SEASON AGAINST THE BOILERMAKERS
RECAPPING THE IOWA GAME
OFFENSE UP IN YEAR TWO UNDER WHALEN
GOPHERS WINNING TURNOVER BATTLE
• Converting turnovers into points has been a trend for the Gophers all season. There have been only three games this year where they have failed to earn at least one point for every turnover forced. They have turned 297 takeaways into 349 points this year, an average of 1.18 points for every turnover forced.
The game, which starts at 1 p.m. CT, can be streamed on BTNPlus.com and heard on the Gophers' radio home, 96.7 KFAN Plus.
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
• Minnesota is 4-2 this season in road games, outscoring teams by an average of 73-65. The Gophers opened the season with four straight road wins for the seventh longest such streak in program history. Taiye Bello is the team's top scorer and rebounder on the road, averaging 15.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per contest. Also in double figures are Sara Scalia (14.2) and Gadiva Hubbard (12.0).
• The Gophers lead the Big Ten and rank 27th in the country in free throw percentage at 75.8 percent, making 222 of 293 attempts. That percentage is on pace to be the fourth best in program history. Of the 26 teams ahead of the Gophers, only nine have made more or attempted more free throws. The next closest B1G team to Minnesota in percentage is Iowa at 73.6 percent.
• Senior Taiye Bello has posted seven double-doubles this year, including a stretch of four straight at one point. She also has had four other games this year where she was either one point or one rebound away from a double-double. Her seven double-doubles rank second in the Big Ten and are 32nd nationally. In her career, Bello has 22 double-doubles to rank sixth in Gophers history, and the Gophers are 19-3 in those games. Though her averages have dipped slightly below that of a double-double, through Thursday's games, she was still one of just 28 players nationally, and the only one from the Big Ten, with averages of 12.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game this year.
• Freshman Sara Scalia notched the first double-double of her young career with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds Thursday against Iowa. She's the first Gopher to have a double-double this year other than Taiye Bello, who has seven. After scoring 22 points (5-7 on 3-pointers) and grabbing seven rebounds in her Big Ten debut at Penn State on Dec. 28, Scalia averaged 6.7 points (4-11 on 3's) and 5.7 rebounds over her next three conference games. She's gotten back on the right track, though, averaging 17.0 points (7-15 on 3-pointers) and 8.5 rebounds in her last two outings.
• Like Scalia, Minnesota's offense as a whole hit a mini-slump early in the Big Ten season but it seems to have since righted the ship. After scoring 81 points on 50.0 percent shooting from the floor and 55.6 percent on 3-pointers at Penn State in the conference opener, Minnesota shot 34.8 percent on field goals and 33.3 percent on 3-pointers with a 0.64 assist-to-turnover ratio while averaging 58.3 points over its next three games. However, in the last two contests, the Gophers have averaged 73.0 points per contest while shooting 39.7 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from long range with a 1.13 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• The Gophers lead the Big Ten and rank 27th in the country in free throw percentage at 75.8 percent, making 222 of 293 attempts. That percentage is on pace to be the fourth best in program history. Of the 26 teams ahead of the Gophers, only nine have made more or attempted more free throws. The next closest B1G team to Minnesota in percentage is Iowa at 73.6 percent.
• Senior Taiye Bello has posted seven double-doubles this year, including a stretch of four straight at one point. She also has had four other games this year where she was either one point or one rebound away from a double-double. Her seven double-doubles rank second in the Big Ten and are 32nd nationally. In her career, Bello has 22 double-doubles to rank sixth in Gophers history, and the Gophers are 19-3 in those games. Though her averages have dipped slightly below that of a double-double, through Thursday's games, she was still one of just 28 players nationally, and the only one from the Big Ten, with averages of 12.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game this year.
• Freshman Sara Scalia notched the first double-double of her young career with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds Thursday against Iowa. She's the first Gopher to have a double-double this year other than Taiye Bello, who has seven. After scoring 22 points (5-7 on 3-pointers) and grabbing seven rebounds in her Big Ten debut at Penn State on Dec. 28, Scalia averaged 6.7 points (4-11 on 3's) and 5.7 rebounds over her next three conference games. She's gotten back on the right track, though, averaging 17.0 points (7-15 on 3-pointers) and 8.5 rebounds in her last two outings.
• Like Scalia, Minnesota's offense as a whole hit a mini-slump early in the Big Ten season but it seems to have since righted the ship. After scoring 81 points on 50.0 percent shooting from the floor and 55.6 percent on 3-pointers at Penn State in the conference opener, Minnesota shot 34.8 percent on field goals and 33.3 percent on 3-pointers with a 0.64 assist-to-turnover ratio while averaging 58.3 points over its next three games. However, in the last two contests, the Gophers have averaged 73.0 points per contest while shooting 39.7 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from long range with a 1.13 assist-to-turnover ratio.
FACING PURDUE
• Minnesota and Purdue meet for the 68th time on Sunday. The Boilermakers hold a 46-21 edge in the series, though Minnesota has won two of the last three.
• In West Lafayette, Purdue holds a 24-8 series lead, though the Gophers have won the last two and three of the last four games at Mackey Arena. Minnesota has never won three straight road games in the series.
• Minnesota head coach Lindsay Whalen's career high in points came against the Boilermakers when she scored 41 on Feb. 14, 2002. That total still stands as the seventh highest in team history.
• Purdue is 12-6 on the season and 3-3 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers won their first six games of the season, but have gone 6-6 since. An 81-67 win over Illinois Thursday snapped a three-game losing streak for the team. Of the team's six losses this year, five have come against teams that were ranked or receiving votes at the time of the game.
• Outside of Big Ten play, Minnesota and Purdue have had two common opponents this year as both beat Milwaukee and Arizona State. The Gophers beat Milwaukee, 77-61, on Nov. 14, while Purdue opened the year with a 68-55 win over the Panthers. Minnesota then topped Arizona State, 80-66, on Nov. 17, while the Boilermakers beat the Sun Devils, 59-52, on Nov. 30.
• Karissa McLaughlin is the team's top scorer at 12.7 points per game, and she leads the Big Ten in 3-pointers attempted (121; 35th nationally) and minutes played (625:06; 13th).
• Ae'Rianna Harris is behind McLaughlin at 11.8 points and is the team's top rebounder at 8.6 boards per game. Harris leads the Big Ten in blocks (55; 5th nationally), blocks per game (3.06; 8th) and total rebounds (154).
• Dominique Oden is also averaging double figures with 11.3 points per contest.
• In West Lafayette, Purdue holds a 24-8 series lead, though the Gophers have won the last two and three of the last four games at Mackey Arena. Minnesota has never won three straight road games in the series.
• Minnesota head coach Lindsay Whalen's career high in points came against the Boilermakers when she scored 41 on Feb. 14, 2002. That total still stands as the seventh highest in team history.
• Purdue is 12-6 on the season and 3-3 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers won their first six games of the season, but have gone 6-6 since. An 81-67 win over Illinois Thursday snapped a three-game losing streak for the team. Of the team's six losses this year, five have come against teams that were ranked or receiving votes at the time of the game.
• Outside of Big Ten play, Minnesota and Purdue have had two common opponents this year as both beat Milwaukee and Arizona State. The Gophers beat Milwaukee, 77-61, on Nov. 14, while Purdue opened the year with a 68-55 win over the Panthers. Minnesota then topped Arizona State, 80-66, on Nov. 17, while the Boilermakers beat the Sun Devils, 59-52, on Nov. 30.
• Karissa McLaughlin is the team's top scorer at 12.7 points per game, and she leads the Big Ten in 3-pointers attempted (121; 35th nationally) and minutes played (625:06; 13th).
• Ae'Rianna Harris is behind McLaughlin at 11.8 points and is the team's top rebounder at 8.6 boards per game. Harris leads the Big Ten in blocks (55; 5th nationally), blocks per game (3.06; 8th) and total rebounds (154).
• Dominique Oden is also averaging double figures with 11.3 points per contest.
LAST SEASON AGAINST THE BOILERMAKERS
• Minnesota and Purdue split last season's matchups with each team winning on the other team's home floor.
• Despite 19 points from Destiny Pitts, 17 from Kenisha Bell and 18 rebounds from Taiye Bello, Minnesota lost at home to Purdue, 64-53, on Jan. 24.
• The Gophers held a 31-28 lead with less than two minutes elapsed in the third quarter, but Purdue scored seven straight points and 13 of the next 16 to grab the lead for good.
• Minnesota made it a two-point game when a 3-pointer from Bell cut the deficit to 43-41 to open the scoring in the fourth quarter. The Boilermakers pushed the lead back to six and the Gophers were never able to get closer than four points the rest of the way.
• Things went much differently when the teams met on Valentine's Day in West Lafayette as Minnesota outscored Purdue, 20-2, in the fourth quarter en route to a 65-45 win at Mackey Arena.
• The 20-point win tied for their largest victory ever at Purdue for Minnesota, and combined with a win the prior year in West Lafayette, it was also the first time since 1985 that Minnesota has won two in a row at Purdue.
• Pitts led all scorers with 27 points, including 23 points in the second half and 14 in the fourth quarter alone. Bell also reached double figures with 17 points, grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and led the team with four assists and three steals.
• Leading 45-43 through three quarters, Minnesota dominated Purdue in the fourth as the Boilermakers' two points tied for the fewest Minnesota has allowed in any quarter since the format was introduced for the 2015-16 season. Purdue missed all 11 shots from the field in the quarter, while Minnesota was 7-of-12. Including the third quarter, the Gophers ended the game on a 31-7 run.
• Despite 19 points from Destiny Pitts, 17 from Kenisha Bell and 18 rebounds from Taiye Bello, Minnesota lost at home to Purdue, 64-53, on Jan. 24.
• The Gophers held a 31-28 lead with less than two minutes elapsed in the third quarter, but Purdue scored seven straight points and 13 of the next 16 to grab the lead for good.
• Minnesota made it a two-point game when a 3-pointer from Bell cut the deficit to 43-41 to open the scoring in the fourth quarter. The Boilermakers pushed the lead back to six and the Gophers were never able to get closer than four points the rest of the way.
• Things went much differently when the teams met on Valentine's Day in West Lafayette as Minnesota outscored Purdue, 20-2, in the fourth quarter en route to a 65-45 win at Mackey Arena.
• The 20-point win tied for their largest victory ever at Purdue for Minnesota, and combined with a win the prior year in West Lafayette, it was also the first time since 1985 that Minnesota has won two in a row at Purdue.
• Pitts led all scorers with 27 points, including 23 points in the second half and 14 in the fourth quarter alone. Bell also reached double figures with 17 points, grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and led the team with four assists and three steals.
• Leading 45-43 through three quarters, Minnesota dominated Purdue in the fourth as the Boilermakers' two points tied for the fewest Minnesota has allowed in any quarter since the format was introduced for the 2015-16 season. Purdue missed all 11 shots from the field in the quarter, while Minnesota was 7-of-12. Including the third quarter, the Gophers ended the game on a 31-7 run.
RECAPPING THE IOWA GAME
• Minnesota took No. 22/24 Iowa to the wire but couldn't quite pull off the upset of the Hawkeyes in a 76-75 loss Thursday night at Williams Arena.
• Sara Scalia was one of three in double figures for the Gophers as she recorded the first double-double of her career with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
• Gadiva Hubbard matched Scalia with 18 points of her own. For Hubbard, it was her highest point total since going for 24 against UC Davis on Dec. 15.
• Also in double figures was Jasmine Brunson, who tallied 16 points to set a season high and finish one point off her career high. Playing all 40 minutes, Brunson's six assists matched a career high.
• Minnesota led by one after the opening quarter, 19-18, then outscored the Hawkeyes, 24-17, in the second quarter to lead 43-35 at halftime.
• The Gophers held a double-digit lead for most of the third quarter, while Taiye Bello's layup with 3:50 to play in the frame gave Minnesota its largest lead at 61-46. Minnesota led 66-57 entering the fourth quarter.
• A basket from Hubbard gave Minnesota a 70-57 lead with 9:08 remaining but Iowa immediately went on a 13-2 over the next seven minutes to get within 72-70 with 2:50 to play. Brunson hit a bucket in the paint but Iowa's Makenzie Meyer's 3-pointer made it a one-point game with 1:10 to play.
• A block on the Gophers' next possession was followed by a go-ahead 3-pointer in the corner from the Hawkeyes' Alexis Sevillian with 8.8 seconds remaining. Minnesota had a chance to tie when Hubbard was fouled on her game-tying attempt with 0.7 seconds left, but she made one of two free throws before Iowa could run out the clock.
• Four of Minnesota's five losses in conference play have now been by three points or less.
• Sara Scalia was one of three in double figures for the Gophers as she recorded the first double-double of her career with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
• Gadiva Hubbard matched Scalia with 18 points of her own. For Hubbard, it was her highest point total since going for 24 against UC Davis on Dec. 15.
• Also in double figures was Jasmine Brunson, who tallied 16 points to set a season high and finish one point off her career high. Playing all 40 minutes, Brunson's six assists matched a career high.
• Minnesota led by one after the opening quarter, 19-18, then outscored the Hawkeyes, 24-17, in the second quarter to lead 43-35 at halftime.
• The Gophers held a double-digit lead for most of the third quarter, while Taiye Bello's layup with 3:50 to play in the frame gave Minnesota its largest lead at 61-46. Minnesota led 66-57 entering the fourth quarter.
• A basket from Hubbard gave Minnesota a 70-57 lead with 9:08 remaining but Iowa immediately went on a 13-2 over the next seven minutes to get within 72-70 with 2:50 to play. Brunson hit a bucket in the paint but Iowa's Makenzie Meyer's 3-pointer made it a one-point game with 1:10 to play.
• A block on the Gophers' next possession was followed by a go-ahead 3-pointer in the corner from the Hawkeyes' Alexis Sevillian with 8.8 seconds remaining. Minnesota had a chance to tie when Hubbard was fouled on her game-tying attempt with 0.7 seconds left, but she made one of two free throws before Iowa could run out the clock.
• Four of Minnesota's five losses in conference play have now been by three points or less.
OFFENSE UP IN YEAR TWO UNDER WHALEN
• Through 17 games, the Minnesota offense has picked up its scoring and production in year two under head coach Lindsay Whalen.
• The Gophers are averaging 74.8 points per game this year, 3.0 points better than the 71.8 points they were averaging at this same stage a season ago.
• The Gophers' shooting percentage on 3-pointers is 85 points better than last year even though they have 107 more attempts this year. The team's current .388 mark on 3-pointers is on pace to be the third best in school history behind the record of .399 set in 1988-89 and .393 in 2013-14.
• Minnesota is also 77 points better on free throws as it leads the Big Ten and ranks 27th nationally by shooting .758 percent from the line. Six Gophers have attempted at least 20 free throws this year and all are shooting better than 70 percent. Last year at this stage, of the six players with at least 15 attempts, only two were shooting above 69 percent from the line.
FRESHMEN POWELL, SCALIA MAKING INSTANT IMPACT
• The Gophers are averaging 74.8 points per game this year, 3.0 points better than the 71.8 points they were averaging at this same stage a season ago.
• The Gophers' shooting percentage on 3-pointers is 85 points better than last year even though they have 107 more attempts this year. The team's current .388 mark on 3-pointers is on pace to be the third best in school history behind the record of .399 set in 1988-89 and .393 in 2013-14.
• Minnesota is also 77 points better on free throws as it leads the Big Ten and ranks 27th nationally by shooting .758 percent from the line. Six Gophers have attempted at least 20 free throws this year and all are shooting better than 70 percent. Last year at this stage, of the six players with at least 15 attempts, only two were shooting above 69 percent from the line.
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 (.460), 3-point percentage (.440), rebounding average (4.8), steals (27) and minutes per game (30.8), third in free throw percentage (.818) and fourth in scoring (11.1).
• Scalia's 3-point percentage of 44.0 stands as the best ever by a Gopher freshman (min. 40 attempts) and is currently the fourth best in one season at Minnesota (min. 50 attempts).
• Within the Big Ten, Scalia leads all freshmen in 3-pointers made per game (1.9), is second in minutes and steals per game (1.6), third in scoring average and sixth in rebounding average.
• Against Bryant on Nov. 26, she scored 20 points and tied a career high with seven rebounds en route to being named B1G Freshman of the Week. She followed that 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 scored 22 points in her Big Ten debut at Penn State on Dec. 28, tying a career high with five 3-pointers made. Against Iowa on Jan. 16, she had her first career double-double with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
• Jasmine Powell, who has come off the bench in all 16 games. She's also 44-of-59 (.746) at the line to lead the team in free attempts and rank second in free throws made, while having the 11th best free throw percentage in Big Ten.
• Within the Big Ten, Powell leads all freshmen in free throw percentage, is second in assists per game (3.1), third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5), seventh in steals per game (1.4) and eighth in scoring average.
• Powell put up 19 points against Vermont on Nov. 10, the most by a non-starter at Minnesota since Nov. of 2017, and has scored in double figures in six games this year.
• With Scalia averaging 11.1 points per game and Powell at 8.8, the Gophers' duo is showing the makings of one of the top freshman scoring combinations in recent program history. Only two other times in In the last 25 years have the Gophers had more than one freshman average at least 8.0 points: 2006-07 with Ashley Ellis-Milan (9.1) and Brittany McCoy (8.9), and 2000-01 with current head coach Lindsay Whalen (17.0) and Tanisha Gilbert (14.7).
• Additionally, the four freshmen that have played this year, including Klarke Sconiers (3.8 ppg) and Barbora Tomancova (1.3), have combined for 24.9 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 (.460), 3-point percentage (.440), rebounding average (4.8), steals (27) and minutes per game (30.8), third in free throw percentage (.818) and fourth in scoring (11.1).
• Scalia's 3-point percentage of 44.0 stands as the best ever by a Gopher freshman (min. 40 attempts) and is currently the fourth best in one season at Minnesota (min. 50 attempts).
• Within the Big Ten, Scalia leads all freshmen in 3-pointers made per game (1.9), is second in minutes and steals per game (1.6), third in scoring average and sixth in rebounding average.
• Against Bryant on Nov. 26, she scored 20 points and tied a career high with seven rebounds en route to being named B1G Freshman of the Week. She followed that 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 scored 22 points in her Big Ten debut at Penn State on Dec. 28, tying a career high with five 3-pointers made. Against Iowa on Jan. 16, she had her first career double-double with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
• Jasmine Powell, who has come off the bench in all 16 games. She's also 44-of-59 (.746) at the line to lead the team in free attempts and rank second in free throws made, while having the 11th best free throw percentage in Big Ten.
• Within the Big Ten, Powell leads all freshmen in free throw percentage, is second in assists per game (3.1), third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5), seventh in steals per game (1.4) and eighth in scoring average.
• Powell put up 19 points against Vermont on Nov. 10, the most by a non-starter at Minnesota since Nov. of 2017, and has scored in double figures in six games this year.
• With Scalia averaging 11.1 points per game and Powell at 8.8, the Gophers' duo is showing the makings of one of the top freshman scoring combinations in recent program history. Only two other times in In the last 25 years have the Gophers had more than one freshman average at least 8.0 points: 2006-07 with Ashley Ellis-Milan (9.1) and Brittany McCoy (8.9), and 2000-01 with current head coach Lindsay Whalen (17.0) and Tanisha Gilbert (14.7).
• Additionally, the four freshmen that have played this year, including Klarke Sconiers (3.8 ppg) and Barbora Tomancova (1.3), have combined for 24.9 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 297 turnovers while giving the ball away just 220 times through 17 games.
• Not only do the Gophers rank second in the Big Ten and 25th nationally with with just 12.9 turnovers committed per game, they are also third in the B1G in turnover margin (+4.53; 35th nationally), and fourth in turnovers forced per game (17.47) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.10; 40th 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 four games this year with 10 or fewer turnovers and only five 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.
• Not only do the Gophers rank second in the Big Ten and 25th nationally with with just 12.9 turnovers committed per game, they are also third in the B1G in turnover margin (+4.53; 35th nationally), and fourth in turnovers forced per game (17.47) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.10; 40th 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 four games this year with 10 or fewer turnovers and only five 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. There have been only three games this year where they have failed to earn at least one point for every turnover forced. They have turned 297 takeaways into 349 points this year, an average of 1.18 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