Gophers Begin Three-Game Home Stand With Chicago State

MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota (5-5, 1-1 B1G) returns to Williams Arena on short rest to take on Chicago State (0-11, 0-0) on Monday night at 7 p.m.. The game can be seen on B1G+ and is also broadcast on KFAN+ or on the iHeartRadio app with Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist on the call.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO STATE GAME

Minnesota's game with Chicago State is the third in the two team's histories. The last meeting came back in 2006 at Williams Arena when the Gophers won 72-34. In two games against Chicago State, the Gophers have allowed an average of 40.5 with an average margin of victory of 43.0.
Chicago State comes into Williams Arena having lost its last 20 games dating back to the 2021-22 season.
Chicago State is not currently a member of a NCAA Division I conference and is an independent institution as of 2022.
The Cougars are led by Tae'lor Willard who averages 12.2 per game this season in five games played (three starts). The Cougars also get 10.8 points per game from Janiah Newell this season, who has started and played all 11 games.
On the boards it is Jose Hill who leads the Cougars with an average of 7.3 per game in all 11 games this season, including an average of 2.5 on the offensive glass. Against Western Illinois earlier this season she snagged 12 boards, six on the offensive glass. She also posted an 18-point 10-rebound double double against Purdue Fort Wayne.
Hill nationally is 23rd in total blocks with 18 and averages 1.6 per game. Newell also is one of the top 65 players in the nation (No. 64) at drawing free throws with 50 attempts so far this season (4.5 per game).

GOPHER NOTABLES

Last time out the Maroon and Gold suffered its third road loss in a contest against No. 16/13 Iowa in Iowa City. The Gophers saw Mara Braun (14) and Amaya Battle (11) reach double figures in the loss. The loss marks the first losing streak of the season for Minnesota.
Minnesota's bench stepped up in moments against No. 16/13 Iowa, bouncing back after scoring just two points against Kentucky, getting solid performances from Destinee Oberg (8 pts, 3-of-3 FG, 0 TO, 13 min.) and Maggie Czinano (4 pts, 8 reb, 14 min).
Despite the loss to Kentucky on Dec. 7, Katie Borowicz flexed her defensive muscles with her fourth five-steal performance of the season. Borowicz is still just one of two players in the Big Ten with four games with five or more steals joining Jacy Shelton of Ohio State. In her latest 5-steal game Borowicz also scored 16 points and had five assists while hitting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc to improve her season 3FG% to a team-high 39.0 percent (16-of-41).
Minnesota's current starting lineup of Braun, Battle, Heyer, Katie Borowicz and Alanna 'Rose' Micheaux, is an average age of 19 years and 4 months. The group consists of three true freshmen, one redshirt sophomore and one sophomore with the group's first three games against Power 5 opponents. Minnesota is the only Big Ten team to start four freshmen in a game this season (Wisconsin is the only other team to start three).
Mallory Heyer has continued to improve throughout the early portion of the season, highlighted by her last three contests where the Chaska, Minn., native has averaged 7.6 rebounds per game, including an average of 10.0 against Big Ten opponents. In that span Heyer has scored 14.3 ppg and has shot 17-of-30 (56.7 percent) from the floor and a stellar 7-of-15 (46.7 percent) from beyond the arc. Heyer has also taken care of the ball throughout the season, despite being second on the team in minutes played at 31.8 per game, has only averaged 0.9 turnovers.
Through 10 games this season Minnesota continues to prove itself a quality team on the boards with an average rate of 43.0 per game as a team which is No. 2 in the Big Ten conference and No. 33 in the nation. The team has been one of the best on the offensive glass at 13.8 per game, No. 3 in the Big Ten. Minnesota's perimeter defense has also been solid, ranked No. 4 in the Big Ten at 29.3 percent.
Chaska, Minn., native, Mallory Heyer is the No. 1 rebounding freshman in the Big Ten this season at 6.5 per game, and is also the No. 1 freshman in offensive rebounds per game at 2.3 per game.
Minnesota head coach Lindsay Whalen announced the addition of five student-athletes on Nov. 16, that have signed National Letters of Intent or an Acceptance of Admission to join the Minnesota women's basketball program for the 2023-24 season. Signing NLIs with the Golden Gophers are Kennedy Klick, MyKynnlie Dalan, Ajok Madol and Dominika Paurová while Brynn Senden signed an Acceptance of Admission.

BY THE NUMBERS
6 - Six of Minnesota's 10 games this season have been decided by six points or less.
81 - In six home games this season the Gophers are averaging 81.5 points per game to just 66.3 on the road.
1 - True freshman Amaya Battle leads all Big Ten freshmen in assists per game at 5.0.
9 - Mara Braun has made at least one 3-pointer in every game she has played in this season.
15 - Minnesota's matchup with Chicago State is the first game in 15 days agasint a non-Power 5 opponent.

The University of Minnesota will be on another short turnaround in its next contest when UW-Milwaukee comes to Williams Arena on December 14. The game, which serves as the team's Field Trip Day game, will begin at 11 a.m. and will be streamed on B1G+ and can be heard on the iHeartRadio app or 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 2022-23 season.

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Players Mentioned

Amaya Battle

Katie Borowicz

Mara Braun

Maggie Czinano

Mallory Heyer

Destinee Oberg