University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 26
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
5-3,0-0Big Ten
73
vs
54
Bradley
3-2,0-0MVC
1
2
3
4
F
Bradley
18
9
11
16
54
Minnesota
19
23
14
17
73
Photo by: Wesley Dean
Gopher Defense Shuts Down Bradley, 73-54
11/26/2021 1:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota (5-3, 0-0 B1G) stopped Bradley (3-2, 0-0 MVC) in their tracks on Friday afternoon, holding the Braves, a 2021 NCAA Tournament team, to 31 percent from the floor in a 73-54 victory at Williams Arena. Sara Scalia led the Golden Gophers with 19 points while Kadi Sissoko (12), Jasmine Powell (12) and Alanna Micheaux (10) all scored in double figures.
As a team the Golden Gophers shot a season-best 47.4 percent from the floor while shooting 47.1 percent from three. Along with Powell's 12 points, the junior guard finished with seven assists to just two turnovers in the win. In the front court Bailey Helgren scored a season-high six points in her eighth-straight start and grabbed four boards.
After a hot start from Bradley from beyond the arc, the Golden Gophers were able to settle in on the defensive end. Sissoko scored six of the first 10 Minnesota points to get the team off on the right foot offensively. After a back-and-forth quarter it was Powell who was the difference by the end of the period with a buzzer-beating three from the top of the key to take a 19-18 lead into the second quarter.
Early in the second the Braves hung around, but a 14-4 mid-quarter run pushed the Gophers lead to nine. In the quarter it was Scalia who hit her groove, scoring all 11 of her first-half points in a span of 4 minutes and 15 seconds to put Minnesota up 14 and eventually into the locker room with a 42-27 lead. In the quarter the Golden Gophers outscored Bradley 23-9 and held the Braves to 31 percent shooting from the floor and shot 57.7 percent on the offensive end.
The third quarter saw Scalia continued what she had done in the second. She scored eight points in a row for the Gophers, putting Minnesota up 21 with 5:48 to go in the period. Minnesota's defense did not let up in the third, holding Bradley to 5-of-20 (25.0 percent) from the floor in the quarter and held the team to just 11 points and had a 56-38 lead heading into the fourth.
For the first time this season the Gophers were able to win every quarter by outscoring Bradley 17-16 in the fourth. Micheaux started the quarter off with her fifth field goal of the afternoon to put her into double figures for the first time in her young Gopher career. Minnesota's lead grew to as much as 22 points in the final 10 minutes and by the final buzzer the Maroon and Gold had secured its largest win of the season and its largest margin of victory since March 4, 2020, against Penn State.
Minnesota will turnaround on Sun., Nov. 28, with a matchup with the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA). Fans can watch the Golden Gophers on Sunday on B1G+ or can find the game on KFAN+ with Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist.
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.
GAME NOTES
Minnesota held their opponents to under 32 percent shooting for the third time this season, and moved their record to 4-0, and 35-2 under head coach Lindsay Whalen, when holding their opponents to under 40 percent from the field; Gadiva Hubbard made her 217th career three during the victory, breaking her tie with Destiny Pitts (2017-20) and Lindsay Lieser (1999-03) for the fourth most in program history; Minnesota's 23 points in the second quarter tied the most points the team has scored in the second quarter this season; Four student-athletes ended in double figures for the Gophers for the first time since March 10, 2021 when the Gophers lost to Nebraska in the 2021 Big Ten Tournament; Friday's win is head coach Lindsay Whalen's 50th win of her career.
As a team the Golden Gophers shot a season-best 47.4 percent from the floor while shooting 47.1 percent from three. Along with Powell's 12 points, the junior guard finished with seven assists to just two turnovers in the win. In the front court Bailey Helgren scored a season-high six points in her eighth-straight start and grabbed four boards.
After a hot start from Bradley from beyond the arc, the Golden Gophers were able to settle in on the defensive end. Sissoko scored six of the first 10 Minnesota points to get the team off on the right foot offensively. After a back-and-forth quarter it was Powell who was the difference by the end of the period with a buzzer-beating three from the top of the key to take a 19-18 lead into the second quarter.
Early in the second the Braves hung around, but a 14-4 mid-quarter run pushed the Gophers lead to nine. In the quarter it was Scalia who hit her groove, scoring all 11 of her first-half points in a span of 4 minutes and 15 seconds to put Minnesota up 14 and eventually into the locker room with a 42-27 lead. In the quarter the Golden Gophers outscored Bradley 23-9 and held the Braves to 31 percent shooting from the floor and shot 57.7 percent on the offensive end.
When @sara_scalia14 is feeling it... just get out of her way!! 🤩
— Minnesota Women's Basketball (@GopherWBB) November 26, 2021
All 11 of her points in the second quarter came in a span of 4:15 of game clock 🤯 pic.twitter.com/XLo4fEiLJG
The third quarter saw Scalia continued what she had done in the second. She scored eight points in a row for the Gophers, putting Minnesota up 21 with 5:48 to go in the period. Minnesota's defense did not let up in the third, holding Bradley to 5-of-20 (25.0 percent) from the floor in the quarter and held the team to just 11 points and had a 56-38 lead heading into the fourth.
For the first time this season the Gophers were able to win every quarter by outscoring Bradley 17-16 in the fourth. Micheaux started the quarter off with her fifth field goal of the afternoon to put her into double figures for the first time in her young Gopher career. Minnesota's lead grew to as much as 22 points in the final 10 minutes and by the final buzzer the Maroon and Gold had secured its largest win of the season and its largest margin of victory since March 4, 2020, against Penn State.
Don't give up on the play, kids! 😤
— Minnesota Women's Basketball (@GopherWBB) November 26, 2021
Deja recovers from the miss as she dishes the assist from the floor to Helgren! pic.twitter.com/IDw2dCeL9h
Minnesota will turnaround on Sun., Nov. 28, with a matchup with the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA). Fans can watch the Golden Gophers on Sunday on B1G+ or can find the game on KFAN+ with Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist.
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.
GAME NOTES
Minnesota held their opponents to under 32 percent shooting for the third time this season, and moved their record to 4-0, and 35-2 under head coach Lindsay Whalen, when holding their opponents to under 40 percent from the field; Gadiva Hubbard made her 217th career three during the victory, breaking her tie with Destiny Pitts (2017-20) and Lindsay Lieser (1999-03) for the fourth most in program history; Minnesota's 23 points in the second quarter tied the most points the team has scored in the second quarter this season; Four student-athletes ended in double figures for the Gophers for the first time since March 10, 2021 when the Gophers lost to Nebraska in the 2021 Big Ten Tournament; Friday's win is head coach Lindsay Whalen's 50th win of her career.
Team Stats
Brad
MINN
FG%
.310
.474
3FG%
.286
.471
FT%
.333
.688
RB
40
45
TO
8
11
STL
1
4
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
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