Minnesota to Host American University on Wednesday Night at the Barn

MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota (2-1, 0-0 B1G) aims to push its winning streak to three when American University (2-1, 0-0 Patriot) visits Williams Arena on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The game will be available to stream on B1G+. Fans can also find the game on KFAN+ with Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist.

ABOUT THIS GAME

Wednesday night's matchup is the third overall between the two programs with the last meeting coming in 2019 and the other back in 2008. Minnesota is a perfect 2-0 against the Eagles with the last meeting ending in a 83-50 win in Washington, D.C.
Three current student-athletes on the Gophers side and six on the Eagles side played in the last meeting with Jade Edwards leading all returning players in that game with 20 points.
The Eagles enter Wednesday's matchup with a 2-1 record and are coming off back-to-back wins against Marist and Vermont. In three games senior guard Jade Edwards has been American's primary scorer averaging 19.7 points per game, a career-high after scoring 17.4 points per game in 11 games last season.
In seven total games the University of Minnesota women's basketball program holds an undefeated record of 7-0 against the Patriot League. Under head coach Lindsay Whalen the Gophers are 2-0 against the Patriot League.

GOPHER NOTABLES

Minnesota is on the heels of arguably its best total defensive effort in program history when the team downed George Washington 48-32 at Williams Arena on Nov. 14. The Golden Gopher defense held the Colonials to just 19.2 percent shooting from the floor, the best in program history, and the 10 made field goals by the Colonials tied for the fewest made field goals allowed in a game in school history.
Minnesota enters Wednesday's matchup with American with the ninth-most total rebounds in the nation this season. The Golden Gophers have amassed 135 total boards and the team's 45.0 average is the third-best in the Big Ten this season. Kadi Sissoko leads the Maroon and Gold in rebounds per game this season with 7.0 in just 21.9 minutes per game.
This offseason the Gophers were able to add length to their lineup and it has shown in the stat sheet. Minnesota currently ranks 18th in the nation in blocked shots at 16 and fourth in the Big Ten. Although no individual ranks highly, the Gophers have received blocks from seven different student-athletes so far this season including Sissoko and Winters who have four each.
Sara Scalia's double figures scoring streak has reached 16 games dating back to last season. Scalia leads Minnesota this season with an average of 17.3 points per game and has attempted the second most shots in the NCAA this season at 52 which is just four behind the NCAA leader Destinee Wells of Belmont.
Now in her fourth season as the head coach of the Golden Gophers Lindsay Whalen improved her record against non-conference opponents during the regular season to 24-3 on Sunday and her record in the month of November is 13-2.
Minnesota faces one of the toughest schedules in the country with up to 13 NCAA Tournament teams from last season on the schedule and Minnesota's opponent win percentage (.582 in 2020-21) is the highest among any other schedule in the Big Ten.
Minnesota recently announced its 2022 signing class on National Signing Day with head coach Lindsay Whalen welcoming in the No. 4 ranked recruiting class in the nation according to Jr. All Stars. Minnesota's four signees include Mara Braun (Wayzata, Minn.), Amaya Battle (Hopkins, Minn.), Mallory Heyer (Chaska, Minn.) and Niamya Holloway (Eden Prairie, Minn.).
University of Minnesota head women's basketball coach Lindsay Whalen announced on Nov. 1, that sophomore guard Katie Borowicz (Roseau, Minn.) will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery today to repair a non-athletic related injury.

BY THE NUMBERS
6 - Gadiva Hubbard needs just six more threes to tie Destine Pitts (2017-20) and Lindsay Lieser (1999-03) for the fourth-most threes in program history.
17 - Deja Winters scored 17 points off the bench for Minnesota vs. George Washington, giving her the most points by a Gopher off the bench since Sara Scalia against Iowa (1/6/21).
32 - Minnesota allowed just 32 points in total to George Washington (11/14/21), the sixth fewest ever by the Golden Gophers and the fewest ever allowed against a Division I opponent.
4 - Minnesota currently has four student-athletes (Scalia, Powell, Sissoko and Winters) who average more than 10 points per game.
16 - Scalia has extended her double figures scoring streak to 16 games dating back to last season.
6 - Six members of the 2021-22 Minnesota roster hail from the Land of 10,000 Lakes with newcomers Bailey Helgren (Edina, Minn.) and Maggie Czinano (Watertown, Minn.) adding to that total this season.

The 51st season of Golden Gopher women's basketball continues on Nov. 20, at the first women's Battle 4 Atlantis against UConn (1-0, 0-0 Big East). The game is set for 11 a.m. CT and can be streamed on FloHoops (subscription required).

For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherWBB) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the 2021-22 season.

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Players Mentioned

Katie Borowicz

Maggie Czinano

Bailey Helgren

Gadiva Hubbard

Sara Scalia

Kadi Sissoko

Deja Winters