The first telecast of the basketball season on TSB Television took place, and just in time for the holidays, you can catch the biggest rivalry in the Tri-Metro Conference, featuring DeLaSalle and Minnehaha Academy. The highlights are below, but if you want to watch this game from start to finish, please visit our new broadcast home at GrandStadium.tv! DVD copies of this game can be purchased at thesportsbrain@gmail.com.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Gopher posts lay victory foundation
BY MIKE PEDEN
University of Minnesota head coach Pam Borton said the biggest challenge leading her Gophers so far this season is the lack of team chemistry. The players get along splendidly, but she noted injuries that forced her marquee players to sit out a few games prevented her from seeing Minnesota's abilities at full strength.
Borton faced that scenario again Wednesday night against Northern Arizona at Williams Arena, as Jackie Voigt sat with a twisted ankle. Borton went with two posts in her starting five, and they delivered under the circumstances. Sophomore forward Katie Loberg removed any questions about her previous injuries with a career-high 20 points, and senior center Kristen Dockery got her first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds as Minnesota defeated Northern Arizona 82-74.
"When you have two bigs in there, it puts a height disadvantage for the other team," Loberg said.
"My teammates got me the ball and put me in position to score, and rebounding is something that I need to do for this team, so I focused on that," Dockery said.
Once again, the Gophers showcased their ad-libbing skills, which could give Borton a plethora of combinations at her disposal when Big Ten Conference play starts next Thursday against Illinois.
"We had one day to prepare for this," Borton said. "It's the first time that Loberg's played on the wing in our zone. Things didn't look perfect out there, but I like the option."
Minnesota's (8-5, 0-0) offense helped disguise the team's 22 turnovers, which were caused by Northern Arizona's (4-8, 0-0) strategy of combating size with athleticism. Minnesota answered by making 53.8% of their field goals and out-rebounding Northern Arizona 42-31. Four Gophers finished in double-figures.
However, their offensive production was not enough to pull away from the Lumberjacks, who fought off every Gophers run. Northern Arizona guard Amy Patton scored a game-high 23 points, including a three-pointer with 2:55 left in the second half that left Minnesota with a thin 70-68 lead. Kiara Buford responded with a three-point play, capping off a 16-point night, and the Lumberjacks would not get within one possession again.
The dagger was delayed though, not coming until there was 17 seconds left. Minnesota led 78-74 but was under pressure from Northern Arizona's full-court defense. Brianna Mastey found a wide-open Loberg down court on an inbounds play. Loberg would score a three-point play after drawing a foul.
"They were really pressuring everybody and I just slipped through off a screen. Kind of like a pick and roll," she said.
"Most of those kids playing a lot of minutes for us are freshmen and sophomores. They just don't know everything yet," said Northern Arizona head coach Laurie Kelly, whose ties to Minnesota include a standout career playing for the University of St. Thomas during the early 1990s.
"They're late on a rotation or not sure where to go. We gave up a lot of lay-ups," she said.
Minnesota goes on Christmas break with a nearly identical mark in non-conference play compared to last season, when they started 8-4. While the stat sheet may not look impressive to fans looking for a rebound from a rough 2009-10 campaign, Borton said getting a healthy team will allow her Gophers to grow in ways unavailable to them with a senior-heavy team.
"You see about 30 percent of what this team can actually do, but we're still finding a way to win," she said.
The win was Borton's 173rd in her coaching career at Minnesota, giving her the record for most career victories with the program. The previous mark was 172, set by Ellen Mosher-Hanson from 1977-87. Although Borton's accomplishment was recognized following the game, her post-game speech was centered on preparing for the Big Ten schedule.
"When the season's over, I'll have a chance to enjoy it," she said. "It's probably the furthest thing from my mind."
University of Minnesota head coach Pam Borton said the biggest challenge leading her Gophers so far this season is the lack of team chemistry. The players get along splendidly, but she noted injuries that forced her marquee players to sit out a few games prevented her from seeing Minnesota's abilities at full strength.
Borton faced that scenario again Wednesday night against Northern Arizona at Williams Arena, as Jackie Voigt sat with a twisted ankle. Borton went with two posts in her starting five, and they delivered under the circumstances. Sophomore forward Katie Loberg removed any questions about her previous injuries with a career-high 20 points, and senior center Kristen Dockery got her first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds as Minnesota defeated Northern Arizona 82-74.
"When you have two bigs in there, it puts a height disadvantage for the other team," Loberg said.
"My teammates got me the ball and put me in position to score, and rebounding is something that I need to do for this team, so I focused on that," Dockery said.
Once again, the Gophers showcased their ad-libbing skills, which could give Borton a plethora of combinations at her disposal when Big Ten Conference play starts next Thursday against Illinois.
"We had one day to prepare for this," Borton said. "It's the first time that Loberg's played on the wing in our zone. Things didn't look perfect out there, but I like the option."
Minnesota's (8-5, 0-0) offense helped disguise the team's 22 turnovers, which were caused by Northern Arizona's (4-8, 0-0) strategy of combating size with athleticism. Minnesota answered by making 53.8% of their field goals and out-rebounding Northern Arizona 42-31. Four Gophers finished in double-figures.
However, their offensive production was not enough to pull away from the Lumberjacks, who fought off every Gophers run. Northern Arizona guard Amy Patton scored a game-high 23 points, including a three-pointer with 2:55 left in the second half that left Minnesota with a thin 70-68 lead. Kiara Buford responded with a three-point play, capping off a 16-point night, and the Lumberjacks would not get within one possession again.
The dagger was delayed though, not coming until there was 17 seconds left. Minnesota led 78-74 but was under pressure from Northern Arizona's full-court defense. Brianna Mastey found a wide-open Loberg down court on an inbounds play. Loberg would score a three-point play after drawing a foul.
"They were really pressuring everybody and I just slipped through off a screen. Kind of like a pick and roll," she said.
"Most of those kids playing a lot of minutes for us are freshmen and sophomores. They just don't know everything yet," said Northern Arizona head coach Laurie Kelly, whose ties to Minnesota include a standout career playing for the University of St. Thomas during the early 1990s.
"They're late on a rotation or not sure where to go. We gave up a lot of lay-ups," she said.
Minnesota goes on Christmas break with a nearly identical mark in non-conference play compared to last season, when they started 8-4. While the stat sheet may not look impressive to fans looking for a rebound from a rough 2009-10 campaign, Borton said getting a healthy team will allow her Gophers to grow in ways unavailable to them with a senior-heavy team.
"You see about 30 percent of what this team can actually do, but we're still finding a way to win," she said.
The win was Borton's 173rd in her coaching career at Minnesota, giving her the record for most career victories with the program. The previous mark was 172, set by Ellen Mosher-Hanson from 1977-87. Although Borton's accomplishment was recognized following the game, her post-game speech was centered on preparing for the Big Ten schedule.
"When the season's over, I'll have a chance to enjoy it," she said. "It's probably the furthest thing from my mind."
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Gophers swab win thanks to Cotton's 26
BY MIKE PEDEN
When Minnesota head coach Pam Borton scheduled Southern University for the 2010-11 season, she hoped it would be a fun night where she would get to send in her bench players, especially since the game was preceded by Baylor. The Gophers were crushed 103-56 in that contest.
Instead, Borton discovered how much the absence of post player Katie Loberg impacts her Gophers. Minnesota fought off a Southern defense that forced 23 turnovers while sophomore guard Leah Cotton netted a career-high 26 points to grind out a 63-48 win Thursday night at Williams Arena.
"(Kristen) Dockery and Jackie (Voigt) are doing an outstanding job. They're bringing their lunch pails every single day. We need another athletic kid on the floor, and it's Loberg," Borton said. "She runs the floor, she can score over the top of people. We're missing her a lot."
Borton did find the fun she was looking for in the post-game press conference as she, Cotton and Kiara Buford had difficulty setting up their chairs.
"We just had another turnover trying to put this chair down, so we got 24 turnovers for the game," Borton joked.
Southern (2-5, 0-0) never led during the game, going scoreless in the first five minutes, but they did trim the margin to one with 2:30 in the first half before Minnesota finished with a 7-0 run. Had Southern not struggled in the second half, where they made just eight field goals in 28 tries, the Jaguars could have positioned themselves to take an upset win back to their campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Fatigue was most evident late. Minnesota (6-4, 0-0) guard China Antoine picked up two key steals in the closing minutes and Buford added a block for good measure.
"We wanted to switch it up, play man-to-man, then play a little zone," said Southern assistant coach Carlos Funchess, describing Southern's "hurricane" defense.
"When you exert a lot of energy on defense, it's going to take its toll. We didn't get in good position; a lot of reaching and fouling. We've got to improve our conditioning," he said.
"They were in a 1-3-1 half-court defense and we made it a lot harder than it needed to be," Borton said. "Once we got ball reversal, we had Leah attacking the basket. She kept us alive and afloat."
Cotton had to work for every last point, making only five of 12 shots, while two lay-up attempts were negated by charging fouls. Her 26th point finally came with 1:06 remaining in the game, when Cotton made the last of her 13 free throws after drawing a foul. Her 13 makes, along with five rebounds, also bested her previous career marks (12 and 4 respectively).
While Cotton is still looking to make smarter decisions on the court, her aggressive style is responsible for her blooming offensive production. In the last four games, the Kansas City native has scored 20 or more points three times. Cotton's averaging 15.5 points per game after 10 games this season, nearly five times more than last season's average of 3.4 per contest.
"Last year, I didn't really believe in myself. This year, I know I have a completely different role I need to take on," she said.
Loberg remains day-to-day after suffering an Achilles strain in Minnesota's win over Virginia Tech last Thursday.
When Minnesota head coach Pam Borton scheduled Southern University for the 2010-11 season, she hoped it would be a fun night where she would get to send in her bench players, especially since the game was preceded by Baylor. The Gophers were crushed 103-56 in that contest.
Instead, Borton discovered how much the absence of post player Katie Loberg impacts her Gophers. Minnesota fought off a Southern defense that forced 23 turnovers while sophomore guard Leah Cotton netted a career-high 26 points to grind out a 63-48 win Thursday night at Williams Arena.
"(Kristen) Dockery and Jackie (Voigt) are doing an outstanding job. They're bringing their lunch pails every single day. We need another athletic kid on the floor, and it's Loberg," Borton said. "She runs the floor, she can score over the top of people. We're missing her a lot."
Borton did find the fun she was looking for in the post-game press conference as she, Cotton and Kiara Buford had difficulty setting up their chairs.
"We just had another turnover trying to put this chair down, so we got 24 turnovers for the game," Borton joked.
Southern (2-5, 0-0) never led during the game, going scoreless in the first five minutes, but they did trim the margin to one with 2:30 in the first half before Minnesota finished with a 7-0 run. Had Southern not struggled in the second half, where they made just eight field goals in 28 tries, the Jaguars could have positioned themselves to take an upset win back to their campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Fatigue was most evident late. Minnesota (6-4, 0-0) guard China Antoine picked up two key steals in the closing minutes and Buford added a block for good measure.
"We wanted to switch it up, play man-to-man, then play a little zone," said Southern assistant coach Carlos Funchess, describing Southern's "hurricane" defense.
"When you exert a lot of energy on defense, it's going to take its toll. We didn't get in good position; a lot of reaching and fouling. We've got to improve our conditioning," he said.
"They were in a 1-3-1 half-court defense and we made it a lot harder than it needed to be," Borton said. "Once we got ball reversal, we had Leah attacking the basket. She kept us alive and afloat."
Cotton had to work for every last point, making only five of 12 shots, while two lay-up attempts were negated by charging fouls. Her 26th point finally came with 1:06 remaining in the game, when Cotton made the last of her 13 free throws after drawing a foul. Her 13 makes, along with five rebounds, also bested her previous career marks (12 and 4 respectively).
While Cotton is still looking to make smarter decisions on the court, her aggressive style is responsible for her blooming offensive production. In the last four games, the Kansas City native has scored 20 or more points three times. Cotton's averaging 15.5 points per game after 10 games this season, nearly five times more than last season's average of 3.4 per contest.
"Last year, I didn't really believe in myself. This year, I know I have a completely different role I need to take on," she said.
Loberg remains day-to-day after suffering an Achilles strain in Minnesota's win over Virginia Tech last Thursday.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Buford's career night ices Gophers win
BY MIKE PEDEN
The 2,709 who attended Thursday night's ACC/Big Ten Challenge game between Minnesota and Virginia Tech at Williams Arena got a taste of the chilly Twin Cities weather inside.
The Gophers were cold from the floor compared to the previous games, making just 41% of their field goals, less than their average of 48%. However, fans would never know it watching junior guard Kiara Buford, who scored a career-high 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Her cool demeanor in a tight game helped the Gophers beat Virginia Tech 63-58. Buford's previous career high was 24.
Buford's timing proved vital for Minnesota (5-3, 0-0), as no other Gopher finished in double-figures with Virginia Tech's (4-3, 0-0) zone defense stumping Minnesota until late in the second half.
"Kiara did a lot to create her own shots," said Minnesota head coach Pam Borton. "She does a great job making plays within our system. We've got to get more people to do that."
"I got a little excited in the beginning because I thought I was open," Buford said. "When we move the ball around and if I can keep my dribble, I can find seams."
Minnesota built a 23-6 lead midway through the first half as Virginia Tech was unable to put virtually any shot down, but the Hokies found their stroke to close the half with an 18-7 run. Their zone defense and offensive penetration, coupled with sloppy Minnesota turnovers late in the second, kept the result in doubt through the final minute. With the score at 61-58, Buford iced the game with two free throws after drawing a Virginia Tech foul.
While Borton was disappointed with her team giving up 32 points in the paint to Virginia Tech, the Hokies' inside game was somewhat muted, making just 50% of their short-range shots.
"We did a great job of finding a way to win," Borton said. "If you put us in this situation last year, we would have lost. I'm happy that we're disappointed with a win, because that shows us that we have higher expectations for our team."
Although Virginia Tech head coach Beth Dunkenberger was unable to take in the happiness of a victory, she was pleased with the Hokies closing a 17-point deficit to 1 early in the second without their top scorer, Shanel Harrison. Sophomore Aerial Wilson led Virginia Tech with 14 points off the bench and sophomore guard Alyssa Fenyn added 12.
"We've got some reserves that are coming in finding a way to step up and score when we're short personnel-wise. I'm encouraged by the gut and determination this team showed," Dunkenberger said.
Minnesota will seek to polish their skill for their toughest road game this season, when they visit #2 Baylor for the inaugural Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge before returning home next Thursday against Southern.
The 2,709 who attended Thursday night's ACC/Big Ten Challenge game between Minnesota and Virginia Tech at Williams Arena got a taste of the chilly Twin Cities weather inside.
The Gophers were cold from the floor compared to the previous games, making just 41% of their field goals, less than their average of 48%. However, fans would never know it watching junior guard Kiara Buford, who scored a career-high 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Her cool demeanor in a tight game helped the Gophers beat Virginia Tech 63-58. Buford's previous career high was 24.
Buford's timing proved vital for Minnesota (5-3, 0-0), as no other Gopher finished in double-figures with Virginia Tech's (4-3, 0-0) zone defense stumping Minnesota until late in the second half.
"Kiara did a lot to create her own shots," said Minnesota head coach Pam Borton. "She does a great job making plays within our system. We've got to get more people to do that."
"I got a little excited in the beginning because I thought I was open," Buford said. "When we move the ball around and if I can keep my dribble, I can find seams."
Minnesota built a 23-6 lead midway through the first half as Virginia Tech was unable to put virtually any shot down, but the Hokies found their stroke to close the half with an 18-7 run. Their zone defense and offensive penetration, coupled with sloppy Minnesota turnovers late in the second, kept the result in doubt through the final minute. With the score at 61-58, Buford iced the game with two free throws after drawing a Virginia Tech foul.
While Borton was disappointed with her team giving up 32 points in the paint to Virginia Tech, the Hokies' inside game was somewhat muted, making just 50% of their short-range shots.
"We did a great job of finding a way to win," Borton said. "If you put us in this situation last year, we would have lost. I'm happy that we're disappointed with a win, because that shows us that we have higher expectations for our team."
Although Virginia Tech head coach Beth Dunkenberger was unable to take in the happiness of a victory, she was pleased with the Hokies closing a 17-point deficit to 1 early in the second without their top scorer, Shanel Harrison. Sophomore Aerial Wilson led Virginia Tech with 14 points off the bench and sophomore guard Alyssa Fenyn added 12.
"We've got some reserves that are coming in finding a way to step up and score when we're short personnel-wise. I'm encouraged by the gut and determination this team showed," Dunkenberger said.
Minnesota will seek to polish their skill for their toughest road game this season, when they visit #2 Baylor for the inaugural Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge before returning home next Thursday against Southern.
Looking ahead...December coverage
| TSB Television is partnering with Community Hoops and GrandStadium.tv to increase our basketball coverage like never before! The following is a press release from Community Hoops. TSB Television will also submit at least one feature game with the coverage you've come to expect from TSB as we enter our 5th year of high school basketball coverage. With all 12 games from the Hamline University event this past weekend now posted, Community Hoops (in partnership with TSB Television Productions - http://www.thesportsbrain1. December 4th, 2010 - The 7th Annual Breakdown Sports Girls’ Tip Off Classic presented by Eastbay (http://www. December 11th, 2010 - The 7th Annual Breakdown Sports Boys’ Tip Off Classic presented by Eastbay (http://www. December 27th & 28th - The Richfield Girls' Basketball Holiday 4 Team Tournament (http://www. December 28th, 29th, & 30th - The Dick's Sporting Goods Holiday Classic hosted by Hopkins Girls Basketball Program (http:// These events/games will be made available the week after the event. The games are offered as Pay Per View at $9.95 per game and High Quality DVD's are available for $24.95 or for $20 if you fill out the order form and hand it to us at the events. A complete list of games offered by Community Hoops can be found on the website www.communityhoops.com. Community Hoops will place the games into the 45.grandstadium.tv library for fans to view. Grand Stadium and KSTC 45 (http://prep45.kstc45.com) together bring fans free live streams on the Internet of all MSHSL State Tournament Coverage normally available on Ch. 45 in the Twin Cities area as well as the ability for fans to relive these games on the Internet as on demand viewing and through high quality DVD's. |
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Programs available for DVD purchase
Autism: The Wall That Knows No Limits - Award-winning documentary series providing insights on autism rarely seen in contemporary media. Produced by someone on the spectrum, this series is a wealth of information for anyone seeking to learn about autism.
$15 for one episode, $50 for the complete series (4 episodes)
What Are You? A Dialogue on Mixed Race - Originally a school assignment, this one-hour documentary explores a population that existed for many years but didn't get much focus until recently. This program examines how a small but growing segment of the population could shift racial and cultural identity. Screened at the 2009 Mixed Roots Film and Literary Festival and will be screened at the inaugural Critical Mixed Race Studies conference at DePaul University. $15
From Vices to Verses: Featuring Voices Merging - From Vices to Verses: A New Era of Hip Hop and Action is a biannual conference held at the University of Minnesota. The goal is to promote the culture and history of hip-hop, which is often lost in the corporate mainstream representation. In this program, you'll see how the Voices Merging student group absorbed what they witnessed and how their experience will transform them as a group and as individuals. DVD copies come with 14 minutes of bonus footage not seen online or on TV. $15
Minnesota Machine: 2010 - Geared for Greatness - Join the professional women's football team in their historic 2nd season. Despite several injuries that depleted the roster, the Machine finished 2010 with a 6-3 record and their first division title in franchise history, edging the Iowa Thunder in the Midwest Division of the American Conference. This highlight reel includes clips from the 2010 season and their interview on the cable television show Rollin' and Tumblin' - $15
Silhouettes by RZI Couture - The inaugural breast cancer benefit fashion premiere took place in St. Paul and was met with a fabulous response. All the models were breast cancer survivors or relatives of someone affected by breast cancer and all the clothing was designed by Rosalyn Smaller, owner of RZI Couture and currently fighting breast cancer herself. The TV version features testimonials from the models and co-host Miss Georgia of KMOJ. $10 of every purchase will be donated to RZI Couture to help the breast cancer fight! $15