University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, January 12
Madison, Wis.
6:30 PM
University of Minnesota
9-8,2-3Big Ten
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at
66
Wisconsin
3-12,0-5Big Ten
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F
Minnesota
27
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27
82
Wisconsin
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66
Sissoko's Efficient Night Leads Gophers to Border Battle Road Win
1/12/2022 10:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota (9-8, 2-3 B1G) won its second straight road Big Ten game on Wednesday night when the Gophers took down Wisconsin (3-12, 0-5 B1G) at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Redshirt junior forward Kadi Sissoko had one of her best all-around performances of her career notching 16 points, 8 rebounds and a career high 8 assists on the way to the Border Battle victory.
The Gophers efficient night wasn't limited to Sissoko's game with the team handing out 18 assists on 30 made baskets on the way to shooting 49.2 percent from the floor, the second-best percentage this season. The Golden Gophers also registered a season-high in three-point percentage, shooting 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from beyond the arc with Deja Winters (four made threes) and Gadiva Hubbard (three made threes) leading the way.
The first quarter saw the Gophers run out to an 11-5 lead by the first media timeout with all five starters scoring in the first four minutes and 52 seconds. Then off the bench Bailey Helgren went to work in the post with back-to-back layups, keeping the Gophers in front of the Badgers in a fast-paced first quarter. By the end of the opening 10 minutes the Gophers and Badgers had battled to a 27-21 score with the Gophers shooting 75 percent (12-of-16) in the quarter and 14 points coming in the paint.
The second quarter was nearly the exact opposite for both teams on the scoreboard. Minnesota held Wisconsin scoreless for the first five minutes and 52 seconds. Wisconsin went on to score just five points in the frame with the Gophers outscoring the Badgers by three and taking a 35-26 lead into the locker room with 24 of those points coming in the paint.
The start of the second half saw a more aggressive Gopher attack. The team got to the free throw line early and often in the third quarter and a back-and-forth 10 minutes resulted in each team scoring 20 points and Minnesota holding on to its nine-point lead headed to the fourth. During the back and forth 10 minutes the Badgers came as close as five with a 10-1 run, but Winters and Sissoko stayed aggressive to push the lead back to nine.
The fourth quarter saw the emergence of Sara Scalia, who finished with 14 points. Scalia helped Minnesota race out to a 7-0 run to begin the quarter, pushing the Gopher lead to the largest of the game at that point at 16 points. The lead grew to as much as 18 during the final quarter and by the final buzzer the Gophers left the Kohl Center with the team's largest Big Ten regular season win (16) since March 3, 2019, against Michigan State.
The 16-point Big Ten road win for the Gophers is the largest for the team since Feb. 14, 2019, at Purdue when the Maroon and Gold won 65-45.
Minnesota will turn around for a big-time matchup with Ohio State (12-3, 4-2 B1G) on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 5 p.m. The game, which can be streamed on B1G+, will be contested at Williams Arena. Fans can listen to Tanner Hoops and Lynnette Sjoquist on KFAN+.
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
Sara Scalia has scored in double figures seven straight games, the second longest streak of her career; All nine of Gadiva Hubbard's points came in the fourth quarter, the most points she has scored in a single quarter this season; the Gophers scored 30+ points in the paint in back-to-back games for the first time this season; Minnesota's 27 points in the opening quarter was the most for the team in the first quarter this season; Under head coach Lindsay Whalen the Gophers are now 18-1 when scoring 80 or more points in a game; This season the Gophers are now 8-1 when holding their opponents to 69 or less points; head coach Lindsay Whalen is now 4-0 as a head coach at the Kohl Center.
The Gophers efficient night wasn't limited to Sissoko's game with the team handing out 18 assists on 30 made baskets on the way to shooting 49.2 percent from the floor, the second-best percentage this season. The Golden Gophers also registered a season-high in three-point percentage, shooting 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from beyond the arc with Deja Winters (four made threes) and Gadiva Hubbard (three made threes) leading the way.
The first quarter saw the Gophers run out to an 11-5 lead by the first media timeout with all five starters scoring in the first four minutes and 52 seconds. Then off the bench Bailey Helgren went to work in the post with back-to-back layups, keeping the Gophers in front of the Badgers in a fast-paced first quarter. By the end of the opening 10 minutes the Gophers and Badgers had battled to a 27-21 score with the Gophers shooting 75 percent (12-of-16) in the quarter and 14 points coming in the paint.
The second quarter was nearly the exact opposite for both teams on the scoreboard. Minnesota held Wisconsin scoreless for the first five minutes and 52 seconds. Wisconsin went on to score just five points in the frame with the Gophers outscoring the Badgers by three and taking a 35-26 lead into the locker room with 24 of those points coming in the paint.
The start of the second half saw a more aggressive Gopher attack. The team got to the free throw line early and often in the third quarter and a back-and-forth 10 minutes resulted in each team scoring 20 points and Minnesota holding on to its nine-point lead headed to the fourth. During the back and forth 10 minutes the Badgers came as close as five with a 10-1 run, but Winters and Sissoko stayed aggressive to push the lead back to nine.
The fourth quarter saw the emergence of Sara Scalia, who finished with 14 points. Scalia helped Minnesota race out to a 7-0 run to begin the quarter, pushing the Gopher lead to the largest of the game at that point at 16 points. The lead grew to as much as 18 during the final quarter and by the final buzzer the Gophers left the Kohl Center with the team's largest Big Ten regular season win (16) since March 3, 2019, against Michigan State.
The 16-point Big Ten road win for the Gophers is the largest for the team since Feb. 14, 2019, at Purdue when the Maroon and Gold won 65-45.
Minnesota will turn around for a big-time matchup with Ohio State (12-3, 4-2 B1G) on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 5 p.m. The game, which can be streamed on B1G+, will be contested at Williams Arena. Fans can listen to Tanner Hoops and Lynnette Sjoquist on KFAN+.
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
Sara Scalia has scored in double figures seven straight games, the second longest streak of her career; All nine of Gadiva Hubbard's points came in the fourth quarter, the most points she has scored in a single quarter this season; the Gophers scored 30+ points in the paint in back-to-back games for the first time this season; Minnesota's 27 points in the opening quarter was the most for the team in the first quarter this season; Under head coach Lindsay Whalen the Gophers are now 18-1 when scoring 80 or more points in a game; This season the Gophers are now 8-1 when holding their opponents to 69 or less points; head coach Lindsay Whalen is now 4-0 as a head coach at the Kohl Center.
Team Stats
MINN
Wisc
FG%
.492
.393
3FG%
.474
.409
FT%
.765
.600
RB
37
29
TO
12
12
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
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