BY MIKE PEDEN
The Minnesota Gopher women's basketball team went in to their Big Ten home opener with Indiana determined to improve their offense after putting up a dud in their loss to Illinois on Thursday.
The Gophers fixed those issues, but found new problems with their defense and top scorers as they dropped their home opener in overtime against the Hoosiers 80-79 Sunday at Williams Arena.
Gophers guard Kiara Buford made only one field goal in 13 tries, while sophomore guard Leah Cotton made two-of-six from the floor. Senior guard China Antoine posted a career-high 21 points and six steals, but did not score a point in the final 8:38 of the game.
"We've got to put our foot down and protect our home court," said Minnesota head coach Pam Borton, who watched a four-game home winning streak snap. "We missed breakaway lay-ups. We missed pull-up jumpers when we were wide open. We didn't finish around the rim."
Indiana (8-6, 2-0) refused to give in to the young Minnesota (8-7, 0-2) squad, finding an answer for every run Minnesota got. With 1:29 left in the game, senior forward Hope Elam tied the game at 70 with a three-pointer, part of a 12-2 run created by Indiana crashing the boards on offense for second-chance points.
"I told them not to worry about the score," said Indiana head coach Felisha Legette-Jack.
Sophomore forward Aulani Sinclair then had a chance to give Indiana their first lead of the second, but bricked a three from the corner. Minnesota guard Brianna Mastey got the rebound and was then fouled, making both her free throws with Minnesota in the double-bonus. Hoosier guard Jori Davis responded with a lay-up from the left side, tying up the score again with 29.4 seconds to go.
Mastey and Kristin Dockery missed two lay-up attempts, giving Indiana one more shot at a road victory, but they failed to find a target on the final possession of regulation. The Gophers did not score a field goal in the last six minutes of the second half.
The Gophers appeared to run on fumes in the extra stanza, although Borton attributed their late performance to growing more timid and not attacking the paint, where the Gophers outscored the Hoosiers 28-20. By the time Mastey sank a three-pointer, cutting a four-point Indiana lead to one, only one-tenth of a second was left, too late to salvage a win.
"We're not the most talented team in the Big Ten. We certainly aren't going to be the fastest or the tallest, but nobody's ever going to outwork us," Legette-Jack said.
No one better reflected their work ethic than Davis and Elam. Davis fell two points short of a career-high, scoring a game-high 31 points, including 10-of-12 from the free throw line. Elam finished with 23 points, sinking five of six three-point attempts and making all six free throws.
The loss overshadowed improved ball control, with Minnesota committing just 12 turnovers to Indiana's 20.
"We were trying to play a little too safe and not doing the things we were doing in the first half of the game," Antoine said.
Indiana's Georgie Jones, making her first visit to Minnesota since she helped St. Paul Central win the class AAAA state championship in 2008, fouled out with just two points from the free throw line. Buford, Jones' high school teammate at the time, coincidentally finished with the same total for Minnesota.
The Gophers return to Williams Wednesday night to host the Iowa Hawkeyes, who will come in with a lot of fire after losing their first two conference games of the season.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Friday, December 24, 2010
Game 1: DeLaSalle vs. Minnehaha Academy
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.
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. |
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Gopher women unable to transition with Dayton
BY MIKE PEDEN
Minnesota head coach Pam Borton knew the Dayton Flyers, her opponent in the Subway Classic championship Sunday afternoon at Williams Arena, would use a fast tempo that thrived on transition buckets.
Unfortunately, Dayton's players found themselves flying all over the Gophers in a 97-81 loss in front of 3,086 who braved the aftermath of a statewide ice storm.
"Are we too slow? Are we tired? I've got to watch the film, but I was very aware of that happening," Borton said.
While Minnesota (3-2, 0-0) scored more points than they did in their 76-53 win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee Saturday, the game hinged on a 6:53 stretch in the first half in which the Gophers missed 12 straight shots. Dayton (2-2, 0-0) capitalized with a 15-0 run that turned a three-point lead to 18 and varied little for the remainder of the game.
The big factor preventing a Minnesota comeback was Dayton scoring seven field goals within 10 seconds of a Gophers basket during the game.
"It's a style of play I used to use when I was at Marquette," said Dayton head coach Jim Jabir. "We were concerned about (Minnesota's) transition, but I was very happy with our pace."
Dayton junior guard Patrice Lalor scored a game-high 25 points after tallying just 18 in her first three games. Junior foward Justine Raterman added 21.
"I've been begging (Lalor) to do this since she came to school," Jabir said. "The first thing I said to her after the game was 'I expect this next game too,' and she said 'Coach, I'm trying.' "
Dayton silenced the crowd with their dominance, but one positive Gophers fans can take from their five-game homestand to open the season is Kiara Buford's scoring consistency. The junior guard led the team Sunday with 18 points, close to her average.
The hometown crowd got another scare in the first half, when Brianna Mastey injured her right leg and was taken out of the game. No updates were given as of Sunday night, but Mastey did return to the bench early in the second half.
Minnesota packs up for their first road trip of the season, playing a pair of games in the Nugget Classic at Reno, Nevada. Their opening match Friday pits them against San Diego State.
Minnesota head coach Pam Borton knew the Dayton Flyers, her opponent in the Subway Classic championship Sunday afternoon at Williams Arena, would use a fast tempo that thrived on transition buckets.
Unfortunately, Dayton's players found themselves flying all over the Gophers in a 97-81 loss in front of 3,086 who braved the aftermath of a statewide ice storm.
"Are we too slow? Are we tired? I've got to watch the film, but I was very aware of that happening," Borton said.
While Minnesota (3-2, 0-0) scored more points than they did in their 76-53 win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee Saturday, the game hinged on a 6:53 stretch in the first half in which the Gophers missed 12 straight shots. Dayton (2-2, 0-0) capitalized with a 15-0 run that turned a three-point lead to 18 and varied little for the remainder of the game.
The big factor preventing a Minnesota comeback was Dayton scoring seven field goals within 10 seconds of a Gophers basket during the game.
"It's a style of play I used to use when I was at Marquette," said Dayton head coach Jim Jabir. "We were concerned about (Minnesota's) transition, but I was very happy with our pace."
Dayton junior guard Patrice Lalor scored a game-high 25 points after tallying just 18 in her first three games. Junior foward Justine Raterman added 21.
"I've been begging (Lalor) to do this since she came to school," Jabir said. "The first thing I said to her after the game was 'I expect this next game too,' and she said 'Coach, I'm trying.' "
Dayton silenced the crowd with their dominance, but one positive Gophers fans can take from their five-game homestand to open the season is Kiara Buford's scoring consistency. The junior guard led the team Sunday with 18 points, close to her average.
The hometown crowd got another scare in the first half, when Brianna Mastey injured her right leg and was taken out of the game. No updates were given as of Sunday night, but Mastey did return to the bench early in the second half.
Minnesota packs up for their first road trip of the season, playing a pair of games in the Nugget Classic at Reno, Nevada. Their opening match Friday pits them against San Diego State.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Antoine's six treys nets Super Six win
BY MIKE PEDEN
The Minnesota Gopher women's basketball team hosted the first game of the newly-minted Super Six series Wednesday night at Williams Arena against Pittsburgh.
The series, designed to create more marquis matches among the six power conferences in collegiate sports, could be a quick favorite for Gopher senior guard China Antoine. She nailed six three-pointers, giving the Gophers enough of a spark to beat Pittsburgh 73-63.
The Gophers (2-1, 0-0) trailed for nearly the entire first half as they struggled to find their shot, despite not going down by more than six points the entire game. Trailing 34-30 with just over two minutes remaining in the half, Minnesota ended with an 11-0 run and took the lead for good on Antoine's second triple. She finished the game with a career-high 18 points and five assists.
"When I hit the shot, I think we had momentum," Antoine said.
Pittsburgh (1-1, 0-0) made one last push to tie the game at 41 early in the second half, but Minnesota answered with a 9-0 run. Coupled with a stingy Minnesota zone defense that allowed just four Pittsburgh three-pointers in 20 attempts, the Gophers made sure no nails were bitten compared to Sunday's close loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay.
"It's a great sign of a very tight team," said Gophers head coach Pam Borton.
Cohesion, an early-season goal for Borton, started to show in Minnesota's third game of the season. The Gophers tallied 20 assists as a team to Pittsburgh's nine while they trimmed their turnovers from 27 in Sunday's game to 18.
"Minnesota took our posts out of the game," said Pittsburgh coach Agnus Berenato. "They walked us off the line, they walked us off the block. (Minnesota) has tremendous size."
What may have gone unnoticed to the 2,572 fans in attendance were solid showings from center Kristen Dockery and forward Brianna Mastey.
Dockery, filling in for an injured Katie Loberg, scored a career-high eight points and tied a career high in rebounds with nine in 30 minutes of play, also a career high.
"My team needed me to step up today. I just had to be ready to go," she said.
Mastey, who struggled to find offensive production in her first two seasons, notched a career-high 10 points while adding seven rebounds.
"Brianna continues to grow; she got off to a slow start tonight, I said something when she came out and she went in with a vengeance," Borton said.
Pittsburgh senior Brittaney Thomas scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Loberg, who injured her left knee Sunday, had an MRI revealing no serious damage. She is listed as day-to-day, although Borton hopes Loberg can return in time for the Subway Classic that starts Saturday.
The Minnesota Gopher women's basketball team hosted the first game of the newly-minted Super Six series Wednesday night at Williams Arena against Pittsburgh.
The series, designed to create more marquis matches among the six power conferences in collegiate sports, could be a quick favorite for Gopher senior guard China Antoine. She nailed six three-pointers, giving the Gophers enough of a spark to beat Pittsburgh 73-63.
The Gophers (2-1, 0-0) trailed for nearly the entire first half as they struggled to find their shot, despite not going down by more than six points the entire game. Trailing 34-30 with just over two minutes remaining in the half, Minnesota ended with an 11-0 run and took the lead for good on Antoine's second triple. She finished the game with a career-high 18 points and five assists.
"When I hit the shot, I think we had momentum," Antoine said.
Pittsburgh (1-1, 0-0) made one last push to tie the game at 41 early in the second half, but Minnesota answered with a 9-0 run. Coupled with a stingy Minnesota zone defense that allowed just four Pittsburgh three-pointers in 20 attempts, the Gophers made sure no nails were bitten compared to Sunday's close loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay.
"It's a great sign of a very tight team," said Gophers head coach Pam Borton.
Cohesion, an early-season goal for Borton, started to show in Minnesota's third game of the season. The Gophers tallied 20 assists as a team to Pittsburgh's nine while they trimmed their turnovers from 27 in Sunday's game to 18.
"Minnesota took our posts out of the game," said Pittsburgh coach Agnus Berenato. "They walked us off the line, they walked us off the block. (Minnesota) has tremendous size."
What may have gone unnoticed to the 2,572 fans in attendance were solid showings from center Kristen Dockery and forward Brianna Mastey.
Dockery, filling in for an injured Katie Loberg, scored a career-high eight points and tied a career high in rebounds with nine in 30 minutes of play, also a career high.
"My team needed me to step up today. I just had to be ready to go," she said.
Mastey, who struggled to find offensive production in her first two seasons, notched a career-high 10 points while adding seven rebounds.
"Brianna continues to grow; she got off to a slow start tonight, I said something when she came out and she went in with a vengeance," Borton said.
Pittsburgh senior Brittaney Thomas scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Loberg, who injured her left knee Sunday, had an MRI revealing no serious damage. She is listed as day-to-day, although Borton hopes Loberg can return in time for the Subway Classic that starts Saturday.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Gopher women "turn over" chance at weekend sweep
BY MIKE PEDEN
The Minnesota Gopher women's basketball team was unable to mask their growing pains in a 79-75 loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay in the championship game of the Best Buy Classic Sunday at Williams Arena.
Five Green Bay players finished in double-figures as they took advantage of Minnesota miscues on defense and ball control, scoring several back-door lay-ups in the first half and forcing 27 turnovers throughout the game.
Green Bay, ranked 2nd by ESPN among mid-majors, had to fight off two Gophers comebacks after building an 11-point lead in the first half and 16 in the second.
The Minnesota Gopher women's basketball team was unable to mask their growing pains in a 79-75 loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay in the championship game of the Best Buy Classic Sunday at Williams Arena.
Five Green Bay players finished in double-figures as they took advantage of Minnesota miscues on defense and ball control, scoring several back-door lay-ups in the first half and forcing 27 turnovers throughout the game.
Green Bay, ranked 2nd by ESPN among mid-majors, had to fight off two Gophers comebacks after building an 11-point lead in the first half and 16 in the second.
"We stopped getting back on defense," said Green Bay head coach Matt Bollant. "We missed a couple of lay-ups; your missed shot leads to their fast break."
Both times, the Gophers cut the margin to two and late in the second, Minnesota had a chance to tie. However, with 30 seconds left, junior guard Kiara Buford could not grasp a missed jumper from Phoenix forward Julie Wojta. Sarah Eichler got the ball, forcing Buford and the Gophers to play foul-and-chase, and Green Bay finished the job from the free throw line.
Both times, the Gophers cut the margin to two and late in the second, Minnesota had a chance to tie. However, with 30 seconds left, junior guard Kiara Buford could not grasp a missed jumper from Phoenix forward Julie Wojta. Sarah Eichler got the ball, forcing Buford and the Gophers to play foul-and-chase, and Green Bay finished the job from the free throw line.
"They caught us off guard," said Gophers head coach Pam Borton. "Some of our players played a lot of minutes, they took a rest for a second, that's when (Green Bay) took advantage."
While Borton hates losing, she saw Minnesota's performance as a big character-building moment early in the season.
While Borton hates losing, she saw Minnesota's performance as a big character-building moment early in the season.
"We were forced to play some freshmen that aren't ready to play in games like this. They played their butts off," she said.
Bollant, a Winona State graduate, said the Phoenix weekend sweep continues their mission of representing the mid-majors that began with their first NCAA tournament appearance in school history last season. Their qualification was also the first for a Horizon League school.
Bollant, a Winona State graduate, said the Phoenix weekend sweep continues their mission of representing the mid-majors that began with their first NCAA tournament appearance in school history last season. Their qualification was also the first for a Horizon League school.
"Last year, we beat DePaul, Wisconsin and Marquette. We got everybody back from that team. We have the ability to go and make it happen," he said.
Gophers sophomore guard Leah Cotton scored a game-high 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, saying her confidence is much higher than last year after finishing the first weekend making 15 of her 18 shots. Buford added 22 points.
Gophers sophomore guard Leah Cotton scored a game-high 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, saying her confidence is much higher than last year after finishing the first weekend making 15 of her 18 shots. Buford added 22 points.
"Cotton's going to make them a better team. If Cotton can do that for them, they're going to win some games in the Big Ten," Bollant said.
Higher scoring figures may be common for the 2010-11 season. The Gophers sank 53 percent of their shots in Sunday's loss after making 60 percent in their first game against Northern Illinois. Continuing to attack the post, the young Gophers team is also eager to develop an inside connection with themselves.
Higher scoring figures may be common for the 2010-11 season. The Gophers sank 53 percent of their shots in Sunday's loss after making 60 percent in their first game against Northern Illinois. Continuing to attack the post, the young Gophers team is also eager to develop an inside connection with themselves.
"We're our biggest supporters on the court," Buford said. "We're constantly huddling, telling each other what we need to do."
However, the Gophers may need to make a few unplanned adjustments. Sophomore center Katie Loberg was taken out of the game in the first half after injuring her left knee following a Brianna Mastey lay-up. Loberg needed assistance to get off the court. Her status was unknown as of Sunday night.
The Gophers continue their five-game opening homestand Wednesday night when they host Pittsburgh at 7:00 p.m. in Williams Arena.
However, the Gophers may need to make a few unplanned adjustments. Sophomore center Katie Loberg was taken out of the game in the first half after injuring her left knee following a Brianna Mastey lay-up. Loberg needed assistance to get off the court. Her status was unknown as of Sunday night.
The Gophers continue their five-game opening homestand Wednesday night when they host Pittsburgh at 7:00 p.m. in Williams Arena.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Gopher women on "board" in season opener
BY MIKE PEDEN
The University of Minnesota Gopher women's basketball team had one recurring theme throughout their season opener against Northern Illinois Saturday: rebounding from a 13-17 showing last year, where they finished last in the Big Ten Conference and dealt with a late-season schism questioning the heart of the senior class.
Fittingly, the Gophers capitalized on the boards, outrebounding the Huskies 41-21 en route to a 79-58 win at Williams Arena. The win, one of two semifinal games in the Best Buy Classic to open the season, will pit Minnesota against Wisconsin-Green Bay at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Williams Arena.
While the struggles of last season are well-documented by fans and reporters, the Gophers hope win number one sends a message that a new chapter has started.
"There's a lot of energy, a lot of passion. You could see it on the court," said junior guard Kiara Buford, named a team captain before the season.
Junior forward Jackie Voigt did most of the work on the glass, scooping 14 rebounds for Minnesota. Buford scored a game-high 22 points while sophomore center Katie Loberg added 15, a result of Minnesota's brilliance hitting shots inside and out. The Gophers made 60% of their shots for the game, a number rarely seen from Minnesota over the last few years.
"Points in the paint have gone up drastically from last year. That's why I think our shooting percentage is a lot better," Buford said.
"Our focus is to be a better half-court team. Jackie did an outstanding job with the boards," said head coach Pam Borton, who started her 9th season in Minnesota.
The Gophers needed almost a full half to get accustomed to their off-season adjustments. The Huskies used a 9-0 run to trim an 11-point deficit to 2 with 1:45 remaining in the first half before the Gophers responded with a 10-0 run to end the half, highlighted by a four-point play when sophomore guard Leah Cotton drained a three-pointer after Buford missed the back end of her free throws.
While offense and rebounding stepped up, turnovers kept the Gophers from utterly blowing out Northern Illinois, coughing the ball up 26 times to the Huskies' 14.
"We had some self-inflicted wounds: poor passing, three seconds in the lane. We've got to clean that up," Borton said.
Loberg and Buford believe cleanup will be short.
"First-game jitters, very fixable stuff," Loberg said.
Most of the pre-season attention has gone to the captains, but several freshman recruits played their first minutes of collegiate action. Minnesota native Sari Noga and Canadian Micaëlla Riché both scored five points in about 10 minutes of action.
Borton said she eventually plans to trim her rotation to nine players as she seeks cohesion with a younger team, but the players promoted their newfound depth that was also absent in the last few seasons.
"Last year, we struggled with off-the-bench production. People underestimate how important your bench is. We can go deep and we're trying to utilize that," Buford said.
Northern Illinois forward Courtney Shelton led the Huskies with 16 points. The Huskies will face George Washington University in the third-place game Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Williams Arena.
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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)
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