University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, February 27
University Park, Pa.
1:00 PM
University of Minnesota
14-16,7-11Big Ten
94
at
83
Penn State
11-17,5-13Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Minnesota
22
16
28
28
94
Penn St.
16
12
26
29
83
Sissoko and Scalia Both Drop 32 in B1G Road Win over Penn State
2/27/2022 1:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota (14-16, 7-11 B1G) closed its regular season out with a 94-83 road win over Penn State (11-17, 5-13 B1G) at the Bryce Jordan Center to secure a first-round bye in the 2022 Big Ten Tournament. The Golden Gophers got a pair of 32-point performances from Sara Scalia and Kadi Sissoko to earn the No. 10 seed.
To go with her career-high 32 points, Sissoko added a career-high 14 rebounds in the victory. Laura Bagwell Katalinich also notched a double double, her second of the season, with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The two double doubles in one game marked the first time since 2018 a pair of Gophers had double doubles in the same game. The Sissoko and Scalia 32-point performances marks the first time in over 10 years a pair of Gophers have scored 30 or more points in one game.
Minnesota led a total of 38:04 during the game, only trailing 2-0 before controlling the remainder of the game in State College. With Sunday's win the Maroon and Gold will face the loser of the Nebraska-Northwestern game on Feb. 27, in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on March 3.
Bagwell Katalinich was a big part of Minnesota's quick start, scoring 10 of her 16 points in the opening quarter. A 7-0 run had the Gophers first-quarter lead up to as much as nine during the opening quarter and by the end of the first it was a 22-16 advantage for the visitors.
In the second it was another 7-0 run that brought the Gophers lead up to 13. Scalia began to make her presence known in the quarter with all three of her first half threes coming in the quarter. Minnesota's lead grew to as much as 14 during the second, with Minnesota outscoring Penn State 16-12 and took a 38-28 lead into the locker room.
The runs continued for the Maroon and Gold in the second half. A 12-0 run to begin the second half had Minnesota's lead to its largest of the game at 22 with Scalia hitting another pair of threes in the sequence. Penn State did not bow out, cutting the lead to nine with 2:22 remaining in the quarter before a 6-0 mini run put Minnesota back in control late in the third.
Minnesota matched its 28-point third quarter with another 28-point fourth quarter to close out the Nittany Lions. Scalia and Sissoko made a huge move in the fourth, both scoring over 10 in the frame. Scalia hit three of her four triples while Sissoko shot 3-of-4 from the floor and a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe including a pair of and-ones.
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: Half of Sissoko's career-high 14 rebounds came on the offensive glass, her seven offensive boards marks the third time this season she's snagged at least six in a game; Scalia and Sissoko combined to make 23 of Minnesota's 34 field goals on Sunday; Minnesota has hit at least 10 threes in each of the last two games and three times in the last five games; Minnesota's 22 offensive rebounds is tied for the second most since Lindsay Whalen has become head coach; Minnesota's 40 paint points is a season-high for the Golden Gophers, eclipsing the previous high of 38 (2/20/2022 at Nebraska); Minnesota's 22 second-chance points is the most in a single game this season.
To go with her career-high 32 points, Sissoko added a career-high 14 rebounds in the victory. Laura Bagwell Katalinich also notched a double double, her second of the season, with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The two double doubles in one game marked the first time since 2018 a pair of Gophers had double doubles in the same game. The Sissoko and Scalia 32-point performances marks the first time in over 10 years a pair of Gophers have scored 30 or more points in one game.
Minnesota led a total of 38:04 during the game, only trailing 2-0 before controlling the remainder of the game in State College. With Sunday's win the Maroon and Gold will face the loser of the Nebraska-Northwestern game on Feb. 27, in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on March 3.
Bagwell Katalinich was a big part of Minnesota's quick start, scoring 10 of her 16 points in the opening quarter. A 7-0 run had the Gophers first-quarter lead up to as much as nine during the opening quarter and by the end of the first it was a 22-16 advantage for the visitors.
In the second it was another 7-0 run that brought the Gophers lead up to 13. Scalia began to make her presence known in the quarter with all three of her first half threes coming in the quarter. Minnesota's lead grew to as much as 14 during the second, with Minnesota outscoring Penn State 16-12 and took a 38-28 lead into the locker room.
The runs continued for the Maroon and Gold in the second half. A 12-0 run to begin the second half had Minnesota's lead to its largest of the game at 22 with Scalia hitting another pair of threes in the sequence. Penn State did not bow out, cutting the lead to nine with 2:22 remaining in the quarter before a 6-0 mini run put Minnesota back in control late in the third.
Minnesota matched its 28-point third quarter with another 28-point fourth quarter to close out the Nittany Lions. Scalia and Sissoko made a huge move in the fourth, both scoring over 10 in the frame. Scalia hit three of her four triples while Sissoko shot 3-of-4 from the floor and a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe including a pair of and-ones.
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: Half of Sissoko's career-high 14 rebounds came on the offensive glass, her seven offensive boards marks the third time this season she's snagged at least six in a game; Scalia and Sissoko combined to make 23 of Minnesota's 34 field goals on Sunday; Minnesota has hit at least 10 threes in each of the last two games and three times in the last five games; Minnesota's 22 offensive rebounds is tied for the second most since Lindsay Whalen has become head coach; Minnesota's 40 paint points is a season-high for the Golden Gophers, eclipsing the previous high of 38 (2/20/2022 at Nebraska); Minnesota's 22 second-chance points is the most in a single game this season.
Team Stats
MINN
PSU
FG%
.436
.500
3FG%
.476
.188
FT%
.800
.880
RB
47
30
TO
10
13
STL
6
5
Game Leaders
Pts
32
FGM
11
3FGM
8
FTM
2
Pts
32
FGM
12
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
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