Hopkins Tournament Podcasts

All of the games from day 2 are now posted.  Click here to view the list of games and listen to your favorite team play.

Blaine Bengals Come Back to Defeat the Lakers of Minneapolis Southwest 63-50

The Lakers gave up a halftime lead as Blaine was led by Jergenson's 15 and Heath chipped in 10.   The Lakers were led by Freshman Guard Mariah Adanene who finished with 15 as well.

Seabrook Steps Up To Lead Colorado Past Idaho State

BOULDER -- Freshman Julie Seabrook had a big night off the bench, recording career highs with 12 points and 13 rebounds to lift Colorado to a 73-57 victory over Idaho State Tuesday night at the Coors Events/Conference Center. Seabrook, replacing senior Kara Richards who fell into early foul trouble, recorded her first double-double in a season-best 27 minutes. With the win, Colorado (6-4) records its first three-game winning streak of the season while moving to two games above .500 for the first time since opening the season with two wins. Seabrook's double-double off the bench was key, but it was a team effort that led the Buffs to victory. Four other Buffaloes also scored in double digits—the first time Colorado has had five players score in double digits this season. Sophomore Brittany Spears and Richards each tallied a team-high 14 points, Richards doing so in only 15 minutes of floor time. Spears also recorded her third double-double this season grabbing 13 rebounds. Junior Bianca Smith contributed 12 points, nine of which came from behind the 3-point line. Freshman Alyssa Fressle added 11 points of her own. "I am happy with the balanced scoring," CU coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said. "Most important was the rebounding, assist-to-turnover ratio, and balanced scoring – all were positives for us." The Buffaloes started and ended the game strong, never allowing the Bengals to take the lead in the game, but the Bengals gave the Buffs a scare early in the second half when they cut the Buffs' lead to only five. Colorado showed Idaho State (3-10) that it meant business early with a layup from Richards only 15 seconds into the game. A 7-0 run gave Colorado a 19-8 lead at the 13:21 mark. Smith dished out back-to-back treys and Richards added two consecutive buckets from the paint as the Buffs began to pull away. Richards, who scored more than half of the Buffs' first 19 points, recorded her second foul at the 9:56 mark, and that's when it was Seabrook's turn to step up and take over for Richards under the basket. "I was happy to come in and fill Kara's shoes and step-up," said Seabrook, a North Vancouver, B.C., native. It didn't take much time for Seabrook to make her presence known. Not long after fellow freshman Fressle put up three layups in a row, Seabrook kept the freshmen frenzy going by sinking two free throws and putting up a layup of her own. After yet another 3-pointer by Smith, Seabrook grabbed a rebound off a Fressle miss and scored on the put back to put the Buffs up 34-21 with 4:09 left in the first. Colorado entered the second half with a 13-point cushion (39-26), but the Buffaloes soon saw their lead dwindle as the Bengals started out the second half just as quick as the Buffs had started out the first with a layup by Idaho State junior Oana Iacovita 17 seconds in. Over the next 3:47, the Bengals went on 6-0 run as the Buffs shot 0-for-7 from the field during that span. The Bengals seemed to have the momentum as they came within just five points of the Buffs lead, but fouls would hurt Idaho State as Colorado recorded 17 of its 34 second-half points off of free throws. Colorado shot 17-for-28 from the line in the second. Those 17 free throws proved key in helping Colorado regain a steady lead, as the Buffs finished the game with a 16-point advantage. Three players led Idaho State by scoring in double digits. Freshman Sheila Adams and Colorado native, senior Cara Lambert, both came off the bench to contribute 25 combined points. Adams scored a career-high 15 points, including three baskets from behind the arc. Senior Michelle Grohs added another 13 points for the Bengals. Colorado's victory over Idaho State marks the team's final nonconference home game of 2008. The Buffs will ring in 2009 and close out the nonconference potion of its schedule with a trip to the Rainbow Classic in sunny Honolulu, Hawaii. Colorado will take on Pepperdine on Saturday Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. MST and then face host Hawaii on Sunday Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. MST. Idaho State-Colorado Quotes Colorado Head Coach Kathy McConnell-Miller General "A lot of good things happened tonight, but there are also a lot of challenges a night like tonight presents. For Kara (Richards) to score 10 points in 10 minutes and be the most dominant force on the court, and then pick up fouls; once she understands the significance of her being on the floor, those won't happen. I am happy with the balanced scoring. I am very pleased with Julie Seabrook and Kelly Jo Mullaney off the bench. Kelly Jo came back from Christmas with a swagger I didn't see before Christmas. She was a different person. Of all our players, the break did her best. She is going to play a combo for us. She is naturally an off-guard, but she will be playing the point and the two. Most important were the rebounding, assist-to-turnover ratio, and balanced scoring as positives for us." On C Kara Richards Foul Trouble "The message is being sent by text, email, and in locker room chatter [that she needs to stay out of foul trouble]. She is inexperienced because Jackie [McFarland] had always been the go-to player. Kara had that luxury for three years, that now she doesn't have. The message is definitely being sent." On F Julie Seabrook "Her personality, her energy, and what she brings to the team; there are so many intangibles that we have always seen in Julie. She has passion, asks questions, and absorbs. Her international experience has helped. The expectations are high for her. She has a comfort level now, and her teammates respect her. I would love to see them (Kara and Julie on the court) together." Colorado Players Kelly Jo Mullaney, So., G ON COMING BACK BETTER FROM CHRISTMAS BREAK- "It was nice to go home and get rejuvenated. Break was good for me. I went to the gym and got off a lot of shots. It just takes time to get used to playing in games again, after sitting last season out. I definitely feel more comfortable." ON THE TEAM'S PERFORMANCE- "Points were scattered through the whole team, and a lot of them came off of assists, which is good because it shows we are playing as a team." Julie Seabrook, Fr., F GENERAL- "I was happy to come in and fill Kara [Richards'] shoes and step-up." Idaho State Head Coach Seton Sobolewski General "Well the difference in this game was offensive rebounds. To compete with a Big 12 team, and a team that's a lot bigger than you are—you have to be tougher. I think we did a good job of defending the initial shot, and I think we got them to miss enough, but we didn't collect enough rebounds and its tough. And even if you are smaller, you have to compensate with that by having better position and being tougher and being scrappy and we lost this game because we were not tough enough and we were not rebounding." "What they did to make it difficult was that they were a lot bigger than us. I think what made the difference in this game was offensive rebounding. I think we did a descent job of stopping what Colorado initially wanted to do, but then we didn't finish the playoff by getting the defensive rebound. They made a difference that way and then they put us in a position to foul and once they started accumulating fouls they got free-throws out of it. I think those two stats threw us out of the game." Idaho State-Colorado Notes Colorado has won three straight for the first time this season and is two games above .500 for the first time since winning its first two. Colorado has 12 of its last 15 games at the Coors Events Center and 17 of its last 20 against nonconference foes. Colorado had five players score in double digits for the first time this season. Colorado shot 50 percent in the first half (16-of-32) marking the first time this season the Buffaloes have shot 50 percent or better in the first half in consecutive games. On Dec. 22 against Saint Louis, CU shot a season high 61.9 percent (13-of-21) en route to a 76-63 win. Sophomore Brittany Spears and freshman forward Julie Seabrook each had double-doubles. Spears had 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Seabrook recorded career highs in both categories scoring 12 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. For Spears it was her team-leading third double-double of the season and 10th of her career. Seabrook notches her first career double-double and is the first player other than Spears to record one this year. The 13 rebounds by Spears and Seabrook were team season highs. Seabrook's seven offensive rebounds were also team season-high. Colorado's 19 offensive rebounds were also a team high this season. Seabrook actually surpassed her career high for rebounds in the first half by grabbing six, four on the offensive end. Her previous best was five, which she had achieved on four different occasions, the last against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 2. Colorado had 22 points off the bench, tying its season best performance which came in the season-opening win over UCF. Seabrook led the way with 12 points, the most by a Buffalo off the bench this season. Junior Bianca Smith made 3-of-6 from downtown, continuing her hot streak of late. She has made 11 of her last 20 3-point attempts over the past three games (.550). Smith also pulled down seven rebounds, marking the seventh time this season she has grabbed six or more rebounds in one game.

Lady Lions Visit Minnesota for a New Year’s Day Meeting

Big Ten road opener slated for a 2 p.m. (Central) tip UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; December 30, 2008 — The Penn State Lady Lions (6-6, 1-1) will hit the road for the first time in the Big Ten season when they travel to Minnesota (8-4, 0-1) on New Year's Day for a 2 p.m. (Central) tip-off.   RADIO/WEB: The contest can be heard on the Penn State Sports Radio Network with Jerry Fisher calling the action. The game will air locally WRSC. The audio feed and a link to lives stats are available at www.GoPSUSports.com.   LAST TIME OUT: The Lady Lions used a 10-3 run over the final six-plus of the game and fended off a pair of game-tying three-point attempts to rally for a 54-51 victory over Illinois on Sunday at the Bryce Jordan Center. Junior guard Tyra Grant notched her fourth consecutive game with 20 or more points as she accumulated 21 tallies to go along with seven rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Senior guard Brianne O'Rourke contributed nine points, four assists and a game-high five steals   SCOUTING MINNESOTA: The Golden Gophers are 8-4 on the season, but dropped their Big Ten opener to Wisconsin on Monday. Emily Fox leads the Minnesota offensive attack as she is in the Top 10 in the conference in scoring (13.4). assists (4.08) and steals (2.6). Ashley Ellis-Milan has been a force for the Gophers in the paint, accounting for 10.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per outing.   ALL-TIME VS. THE GOLDEN GOPHERS: The Lady Lions travel to Minneapolis on New Year's Day to face the Golden Gophers. Penn State is 20-7 all-time against Minnesota, but is just 8-6 in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Despite success early against the Golden Gophers, the Lady Lions have lost five of their last seven against the team in maroon and gold. Last season, Minnesota posted a 67-50 win at "The Barn" and earned its first-ever win in Happy Valley with a 56-48 decision on Feb. 14.   LAST TIME VS. MINNESOTA: Penn State ended the game on a 17-5 run, but it was not enough as Minnesota held on for a 56-48 win over the Lady Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center Thursday night.  It is the first-ever win for the Golden Gophers in Happy Valley (12-1 all-time) and extends Penn State's losing streak to a school-record six games. Kam Gissendanner continued her hot streak with another solid all-around performance with team highs of 17 points and seven rebounds to go along with two assists and a career-high three steals. Brianne O'Rourke also sparked the Lady Lions with 12 points and six assists.   WOLFF ON THE PROWL IN LATE RALLY: Sophomore Janessa Wolff played a key role in the Lady Lions' 54-51 win over Illinois. The sophomore post hit the game-tying layup with just under two minutes remaining and then retrieved a rebound and connected on a jumper with 39 seconds left to make it a three-point game. Wolff also made a steal on an entry pass on the Illinois possession with 20 seconds on the clock. Wolff finished the contest with 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots.   BIG TEN SKID STOPPED: With a come-from-behind victory over Illinois (54-51) on Dec. 28, the Lady Lions snapped a 13-game Big Ten Conference losing streak. Penn State last picked up a Big Ten victory against Michigan on Jan. 20, 2008 at the Bryce Jordan Center. The win also marked the program's 180th win in Big Ten play.   GRANT GETS 1,100 TALLIES: Junior guard Tyra Grant reached the 1,100 point mark for her career with 21 tallies in the Dec. 28 win over Illinois. The effort also marked her fourth consecutive contest with 20 or more points.   The Lady Lions return to the BJC to meet Michigan (Sun., Jan. 4) and Indiana (Sun., Jan. 11). Both the Michigan and Indiana games are Subway Full Court Four-Pack games where fans will receive our (4) reserved game tickets, a voucher for four (4) soft drinks redeemable at the Jordan Center and a voucher for four (4) 6-inch subs redeemable at any of seven State College area Subway locations all for just $40. The voucher is not valid at the Bryce Jordan Center Subway location. For information on Lady Lion Basketball tickets, call the Penn State ticket office at 814-865-5555.   The 2009 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State proudly supported by Mimi Barash Coppersmith (formerly known as THINK PINK Day) will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m., as the Lady Lions take on Iowa in the Bryce Jordan Center. The game can be seen on www.bigtennetwork.com. The first two Pink Zone events have raised more than $50,000 for breast cancer awareness. This year's fundraising efforts will benefit the Penn State Hershey Breast Cancer Institute, the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition and the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.gopsusports.com/pinkzone. —LADY LIONS—

Hopkins Tournament Podcasts

To listen to all 12 games please click here then scroll down to choose your games.

2009 Gatorade Timberwolves Shootout Preview

Re-posted from http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/jrwolves/shootout_2009_preview.html

Scout.com's Chris Monter wrote a preview for the Gatorade-Timberwolves Shootout:

10:00am -- Cloquet vs. Pelican Rapids
12:00pm -- Osseo vs. Sioux Falls Roosevelt (SD)
2:00pm -- Sibley vs. Madison Memorial (WI)
4:00pm -- Hopkins vs. Lake Geneva Badger (WI)
6:00pm -- Robbinsdale Cooper vs. Eden Prairie
8:00pm -- St. Cloud Tech vs. Manitowoc Roncalli (WI)

Cloquet finished 15-12 last season as Chad Calcaterra, a 6-foot-10, 225-pound junior big man, was hampered with a stress fracture in his foot. Calcaterra received a scholarship offer from Minnesota before his sophomore year and also has offers from Northern Iowa, North Dakota State, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Colorado and Colorado State and is hearing from Stanford, North Carolina State, Iowa and Marquette. Calcaterra averaged ten points, ten rebounds and four assists per game last year as a sophomore. Five-ten junior guard Peter LaCourse added ten points per game.

Pelican Rapids finished 22-8 last season, losing to Crosby-Ironton 74-62 in the section finals. The Vikings return twelve seniors and are led by Eric Shulstad, a 6-foot-6 big man who averaged 16.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

Osseo finished 28-1 last season, losing to rival Robbinsdale Cooper 60-59 in the section finals. The Orioles are led by Sam Dower, a 6-foot-9 senior who signed with Gonzaga. Dower saw his stock rise with a strong showing this summer with the Net Gain Sports AAU program and picked the WCC power over interest from Marquette, Minnesota, California and George Mason. He averaged 13.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and scored in double figures in 23 of 29 games this past season, including a 23-point and 10-rebound effort versus Coon Rapids. Dower is a skilled left-handed big man who has made great strides in the past year. The Orioles were dominant with just four games within 10 points as they outscored their opponents 76.0 points to 54.8 last year. However, they had serious graduation loss as they must replace leading scorer Carrington Tankson (San Jacinto CC), Dan Brown (a two-sport standout who is at Division II Augsburg) and 7-foot center Zach Peterson (Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead).

Sioux Falls Roosevelt finished 18-7 with a sixth place in the South Dakota Class AA State Tournament. They are led by Cody Larson, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound junior forward, who committed to Iowa. Larson averaged 9.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He finished with eleven points and eight rebounds in their 56-48 playoff loss to Yankton as current Gopher Colton Iverson scored 27 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in the win. Point guard Adol Aluong, who plays with Larson on the Dakota Schoolers, averaged 7.0 points per game. Six-8 center Jared Bartling gives the Roughriders' some needed frontcourt size.

Henry Sibley, who finished runner-up in Class AAAA and was 26-6 last season, has plenty of size. The Warriors return three of their top five scorers and are ranked as the #2 team in the state. The Warriors have one of the top frontcourts in the state with Wisconsin signee Mike Bruesewitz (14.5 points per game), Valparaiso signee Chris Halvorsen (11.7), 6-foot-7 junior Mike Rostampour, who has offers from North Dakota State and Wisconsin Milwaukee and 6-foot-11 junior center Jake Kreuser, who has an offer from Santa Clara (5.3). They also return sharpshooter Maurice Hernandez (11.9), but must replace the leadership of graduated guards Noah Kaiser (9.4) and Peter Leslie (13.7).

Madison Memorial finished 23-3 last season, losing in the state championship game. Jeronne Maymon, a 6-6, 230-pound forward who signed with Marquette, was named the state's Associated Press Player of the Year. He averaged 21.0 points and 11.7 rebounds per outing as a junior. Maymon is on pace to break the school's all time records in both scoring and rebounding. Junior guard Vander Blue, who averaged 12.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, has already committed to Wisconsin. Junior Lomomba, a 6-foot-4 freshman and Tre Creamer, a 6-foot-3 junior supply an offensive spark.

Hopkins, who was ranked #22 in the USA Today preseason rankings, is the odds-on-favorite to win the Class AAAA state title. The Royals, who finished 27-2, losing to eventual state champions and crosstown rival Minnetonka in the section finals. The two split games in the regular season. Hopkins, who won the 2005 and 2006 title, has seven Division I caliber players and added transfer Royce White, who signed with Minnesota. They also have Division players Trent Lockett, who is headed to Arizona State, Mike Broghammer, who inked with Notre Dame and Raymond Cowels, who is signed to Santa Clara. Point guard Marcus Williams is getting looks for both football and basketball, while junior D. J. Peterson has offers from North Dakota State, Baylor and Wisconsin Green Bay and Marvin Singleton, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, is one of the top players in the Class of 2011.

Lake Geneva Badger finished 18-6 last year, losing to Madison Memorial in the state tournament. However, they lost All-State honorable mention choice Jimmy Merritt, who averaged 16.9 points per game. The defending Lakeshore Conference champions are led by 5-foot-11 junior Justin Bowers, 6-foot-4 senior Austin Gaugert and 6-foot senior Braden Tice.

Robbinsdale Cooper returns all five starters from a team that finished 23-9 and had a fourth place in the Class AAAA State Tournament. They upset Osseo in the section finals, giving the Orioles their only loss of the season. The Hawks are paced by Rodney Williams Jr., a 6-foot-6, 185-pound forward who is one of the top players in the state as well as one of the country's top athlete. Williams Jr., who signed with hometown Minnesota, averaged 21.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 blocked shots and 2.4 assists per game. They also return inside scorer Joe Bright (14.8 points per game), Kenquane Brown (7.1) and backcourt players Freddie Burton (4.9) and Quincy Bethea (10.3).

Eden Prairie finished 19-9 record, losing to Bloomington Kennedy in the Section II second-round playoffs. The Eagles are led by Ethan Wragge, a 6-foot-6 senior forward has signed with Creighton. Wragge averaged 16.0 points per game last season. He scored in double figures in 22 of 28 games and had eight games of 20 or more points, including a season-high 27 points in their playoff loss to Bloomington Kennedy. Brett Ervin, a 6-foot-5 junior forward, has started to attract recruiting interest from schools such as Wichita State, Davidson, Oregon State, Northern Iowa, North Dakota State and Valparaiso. Ervin averaged 9.5 points per game as a sophomore, averaging in double figures in 15 of 26 games with a season-high 21 points against Burnsville. Guards Mark and Timmy Miller provide outside shooting and leadership in the backcourt.

St. Cloud Tech finished 29-3 last season with a third place finish in the Class AAAA State Tournament. The Tigers, which return four starters, are led by Nate Wolters, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from St. Cloud (MN) Tech, who will wait until the spring signing period to make his college choice. Wolters was named first team All-Central Lakes last season and scored his 1,000th career point as the Tigers defeated Robbinsdale Cooper 84-71 in the Class 4A third-place game. Wolters led all scorers with 22 points in the game. Wolters played for the Minnesota Comets Elite AAU team this spring and summer and helped lead his St. Cloud Tech team to a final four appearance in the Gopher State Prep Showcase. He averaged 19.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Alex Hanks, a 6-foot-2 junior guard who averaged 16 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and 6-foot-3 senior Tyson Eurle, who added 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game provide a scoring punch.

Manitowoc Roncalli finished 23-2 last season and has posted a 96-6 mark the past four years. The Jets lost to Iola-Scandinavia 67-64 in the state tournament. They are led by Ben Sletzer, a 6-foot sophomore guard, who averaged 11.3 points per game last year and 6-foot-2 Jake Ledvina, who added 6.3 points. Sletzer scored 36 points in the season opener, making eight of nine three-pointers.

Minnesota Drops Big Ten Opener at Wisconsin

Minnesota continued its offensive struggles as the Golden Gophers dropped their Big Ten opener at Wisconsin by a score of 62-52. The Gophers are 8-4 overall and 0-1 in league play after losing their third straight game.   The Gophers' leading scorers, Emily Fox and Katie Ohm, coming in with scoring averages of 14.5 points and 13.7 points per game respectively, contributed just six points in the game. Fox suffered her worst shooting game of her Gopher career hitting just one of her 14 shot attempts. Ohm was 1-for-7, and finished her second straight game without a three-point field goal.   Ashley Ellis-Milan was the only Gopher to finish in double figures with 13 points. She added eight rebounds.   Despite the woeful offensive statistics, especially in the second half shooting just 25 percent (8-32), the Gophers had the chance to win this ballgame late. Ellis-Milan made one of two free throws with 4:31 left in the game brought Minnesota to within a point of the Badgers at 51-50.   On Wisconsin 's next possession, forward Mariah Dunham converted on the play of the game. The Badgers had missed a shot that didn't draw iron and the ball was tipped out of bounds. Wisconsin maintained possession but had only four seconds remaining on the shot clock. Dunham collected a high inbounds pass 25 feet from the basket at the top of key and after a dribble fired a desperation three-pointer that found nothing but the bottom of the net to give the Badgers a 54-50 lead.   Zoe Harper scored on an offensive putback with 3:35 left to bring the Gophers back to with two points. That basket would be the final tally for the Gophers, who came up empty on final eight shot attempts. Wisconsin scored the final eight points of the game to post the final margin of victory.   The Gophers' inability to score in the final 3:35 of the game was not the only drought Minnesota suffered in the game. The Gophers went a costly five minutes in the first half without adding to the scoreboard.   The first half was a game of runs. Wisconsin (11-2, 1-1) opened the game with five quick points but then the Badgers' offense fall silent. Minnesota picked up its game ignited by a Jackie Voigt three-pointer with 18:08 on the clock. The triple started an 18-point run that was culminated by a three-point field goal by Kay Sylva.   The next five minutes saw the Gophers miss four shots and commit five of their 11 first-half turnovers as the Badgers clawed their way back into the ballgame. Wisconsin out-scored Minnesota by 26-9 margin to take a 31-27 lead into halftime.   Alyssa Karel led the Badgers with 19 points, while Teah Gant added a career-high 17 points including an impressive 11-of-12 performance from the free throw line.   Minnesota returns to action on Jan. 1, when the Golden Gophers play host to Penn State at 2 p.m. in Williams Arena.   - UM -

Gant’s career day evens Border Battle with 62-52 UW win

MADISON, Wis. Dec. 29, 2008 Three Badgers scored in double figures and junior guard Teah Gant had a career-high 17 points to help the Wisconsin women's basketball team win its lone meeting against border rival, Minnesota, 62-52 in front of a season-high Kohl Center audience of 6,045. The win gives the Badgers their first of the Big Ten Conference season as they improve to 11-2 overall, 1-1 in the league. Minnesota drops to 8-4 and 0-1 in the conference. The win is also significant for the fifth annual Border Battle as the Badgers add 40 points to Wisconsin's tally to even the series at 140 points. COMPLETE POST-GAME COVERAGE: Links available here: http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/wbb/headlines/story.html?sportid=135&storyid=16221 * Final Box Score * Wisconsin cumulative stats * Wisconsin cumulative stats in Big Ten games * UW head coach Lisa Stone quotes * Minnesota head coach Pam Borton quotes * Courtside Blog * Post-game notes Gant had a career night with 17 points, 11 of which came from the charity stripe. The 5-10 guard went 11-of-12 from the free throw line as her first and only miss came with 32 seconds left in the game. She also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds and stole the ball twice. Sophomore guard Alyssa Karel led all scorers with 19 points and junior forward Mariah Dunham chipped in 12 points and five of the team's nine blocks. Karel went 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Wisconsin finished 19-of-42 for 45.2 percent from the field and finished 5-of-12 from 3-point range for 41.7 percent. Ashley Ellis-Milan led Minnesota with 13 points while the Gophers' leading scorer Emily Fox was limited to a season-low two points on 1-of-14 shooting in 29 minutes. Minnesota shot just 17-of-57 for 29.8 percent and was 4-of-14 for 28.6 percent from 3-point range. The Gophers had the slight 36-35 edge on the boards and 15 of their rebounds were from the offensive glass. Ellis-Milan led all players with eight rebounds while Gant and junior guard Rae Lin D'Alie grabbed seven each. The Badgers had the 11-10 advantage on assists and sophomore forward Lin Zastrow tied a career high with four assists. After turning the ball over 11 times in the first half, Wisconsin finished with 19 for the game while Minnesota turned the ball over 14 times. The Gophers capitalized on 17 points off turnovers. The first half was a game of runs. Wisconsin had the first one, opening up a 5-0 lead but Minnesota quickly responded with an 18-0 run of its own. The Gophers went 3-of-3 from 3-point range during the stretch. The Badgers were held scoreless for more than six minutes and turned the ball over seven times during that stretch. The Badgers then did their part, holding Minnesota scoreless for just over five minutes and used a 10-0 run to pull within three points (18-15) with 9:17 left in the first half. Karel hit two 3-pointers during the stretch while Gant and Dunham also contributed buckets. Minnesota's regained a seven-point lead (22-15) but the Badgers kept inching back in until they took over the lead at 29-27 following two free throws from Gant. The Badgers maintained their momentum and took the 31-27 lead into halftime. After the Gophers went on their 18-0 run, the Badgers outscored them 26-9 to end the half. Wisconsin finished the first half 10-of-22 for 45.5 percent while Minnesota went 9-of-25 for 36.0 percent. Despite turning the ball over seven times during that six minute stretch, Wisconsin finished with 11 turnovers for the half. The score stayed tight during the first part of the second half and Wisconsin maintained the lead until a layup by Ellis-Milan put the score at 41-40, giving the Gophers their first lead since late in the first half. The Badgers re-gained the lead though after a layup by Tara Steinbauer put the score at 42-41 with 13:28 remaining. Wisconsin worked its way to a five-point lead (51-46) with 7:51 left. Gant helped the Badgers pull ahead by converting on 4-of-4 free throw attempts and Karel also added a bucket. The Gophers pulled within one point after Ellis-Milan went one-of-two from the free throw line with 4:31 remaining in the game. Dunham nailed a 3-pointer as the shotclock wound down to give Wisconsin another four-point advantage with 4:04 left. Minnesota cut it to two at 54-52 after a layup by Zoe Harper with 3:35 left but solid play by Gant, including her ninth and 10th free throws combined with four missed Gopher field goals down the stretch gave the Badgers their biggest lead of the game at that point (60-52) with 1:16 left. Minnesota was held scoreless for the final 3:35 of the game and the Badgers made 2-of-4 free throws in the final minute to hang on for the win. Wisconsin returns to conference action New Year's Day (Thursday) when it faces Illinois. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Champaign, Ill.

Coyotes Tamed As Winning Streak Ends In Concordia Blowout, 79-59

Dec. 29– VERMILLION, SD - The Concordia University women's basketball team continued their series dominance over the University of South Dakota, a recent upshoot of the NCAA Division I, with a controlling 79-59 win on Coyote territory.  The Concordia victory sets the season record at 11-3 and ends a nine-game USD (9-2) winning streak. The Golden Bears led throughout the game, receiving 28 points from sophomore Zoraa Quoie and hitting 50% of their shots from the field on the night (30-60).  Concordia is now 4-1 against USD with three consecutive wins. A sluggish Coyote offense, which hadn't seen the hardcourt in more than two weeks, shot just 36.2% from the field.  USD's season leading scorer, Bridget Yoerger, was held to only three field goals and missed double figures for the first time this year. Candace Olstad had yet another leading performance for her Golden Bears, reaching a double-double with 15 points from 5-of-10 shooting and also leading the team with 12 rebounds.  The CU effort on the glass resulted in an impressive 40-29 rebounding edge.  The team is now 7-0 when out-rebounding their opponent. Concordia controlled the pace of the game from the tap, as Gillian Bjerke hit a jumper nine seconds into the contest for CU's first and final lead.  Bjerke went on to hit 7-of-11 shots and finished with 16 points and five rebounds. The Golden Bears shot 51.5% in the first half, sending the Coyotes to the locker room with a 30-39 deficit, the first time this season they trailed at the half.  Things continued to fall for the Golden Bears in the second half as they stretched their lead out to as many as 25 points at the 6:47 mark before taking the final 79-59 win. The 20-point victory became the fifth time this season and second consecutive time that the Golden Bears topped a team by 20 or more points.  The final field goal mark of 50% is the third best performance of the year. Quoie's 28-point put-out came from shooting 10-of-16 from the field and hitting 4-of-5 from both long range and at the stripe.  She also matched Kali Olstad with six rebounds, second best on the night for CU.  The team came up with six total three-point shots, relying instead on their inside game.  With 31 points coming from C. Olstad and Bjerke, the team finished play with 32 total points in the paint.  Jamie Jones had five of the team's 17 assists. Leading the way for South Dakota were Jasmine Mosley with 14 points and Annie Roche with ten.  No USD player managed more than five rebounds.  The Coyotes combined for three shots from beyond the arc and had a mere five assists. Concordia returns to NSIC play this Saturday afternoon, playing at St. Cloud State.  The game tips off at 2:00 pm at Halenbeck Hall.

Woodard's Second Half Carries Creighton Past North Dakota State 51-40

FARGO, N.D.--Kelsey Woodard scored 15 of her game-high 17 points in the second half to lead Creighton University to a 51-40 win over host North Dakota State University in a non-conference women's basketball game played Monday, Dec. 29,  before 1,107 fans at the Bison Sports Arena. North Dakota State (4-6) lost its third straight game. The Bison host Jamestown College (11-3) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30. The Jimmies are ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Division II. The Bison led 22-18 at halftime and 32-21 with 15:05 left in the second half on a pair of Nicole Vigil free throws. However, Creighton (5-6) caught fire and hit 11 of 23 from the field in the second half including 6 of 8 from the three-point line. The Blue Jays, which won their third straight game, outscored the Bison 30-8 over the last 15 minutes. Woodard hit all four of her three-point shots in the second half including back-to-back threes at one stretch that gave the Blue Jays a 43-37 lead with 6:22 left. Woodard hit 5 of 9 from the field overall including 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. North Dakota State did cut the deficit to 43-40 as Jill Zaruba made a layyp and free throw at the 5:47 mark. However, it was the final points of the game for the Bison. Zaruba led NDSU with 10 points, while Jerri Penley pulled down 13 rebounds. North Dakota State made only 28.8 percent from the field including 11.1 percent from the three-point line. Megan Neuvirth pulled down 10 rebounds as Creighton outrebounded the Bison 43-36.  Chevelle Herring scored 11 points and overcame a 4 of 17 shooting night from the field.

Senior Raiders vs Diaper Dandy Lakers

Roseville 65 Minneapolis Southwest 56.   Southwest was up 45-40 with 8 minutes to play, but Senior leadership from Janae Burich & Kelsey Florian was too much for the Lakers.  Freshman Guard Mariah Adanene led the Lakers with 31 points. Minneapolis Southwest play Blaine at 1pm and Roseville plays Farmington at 3pm.

Colorado Hosts Idaho State Tuesday

For the complete release, stats and player notes click here: http://www.cubuffs.com/pdf4/361114.pdf THE GAME: The University of Colorado plays its final nonconference home game of 2008 as the Buffaloes host Idaho State University on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events/Conference Center. BROADCAST: Tuesday's game can be heard live on KKZN AM 760 with Mike Rice delivering the play-by-play and Carol Callan of USA Basketball with the color commentary. Live video streaming of Tuesday's battle will be available to BuffsTV subscribers at CUBuffs.com. Live internet audio of all CU basketball games is available through Yahoo! Sports. OPENING TIP: Colorado has won two straight and will be out for its first three-game winning streak of the season. The Buffaloes will also be looking to move to two games above .500 for the first time since opening the season with two wins. THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 5-4 overall moving above .500 for the first time since Nov. 28 after defeating Saint Louis University, 76-63, on Dec. 22. The Buffaloes return to the Coors Events Center where they have won 11 of their last 14 games overall and 16 of their last 19 against nonconference opponents. Sophomore Brittany Spears leads Colorado and ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring at 20.1 points per game. She has five games of 20-plus points, including a 21 point performance in the win over Saint Louis on Dec. 22, where she had one of the better shooting nights of her young career hitting on 8-of-10 from the field including all three 3-point attempts. She has two double-doubles this season, most recently scoring a game-high 25 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 2. She has the highest individual scoring output in the Big 12 this season, notching 36 against UMass in the first round of the Coors Classic, a Classic record and tying for the third best total in team history (Jasmina Ilic scored 36 against Nebraska on Jan. 4, 2006). Spears, who was named to the Coors Classic All-Tournament Team, ranks sixth in the Big 12 in minutes (31.4 mpg), eighth in field goal percentage (.481), ninth in 3-point field goals made (1.8 3mpg) and percentage (.340), 10th in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and free-throw percentage (.714) and 13th in steals (1.7 spg). Senior center Kara Richards is off to her best start since her freshman year, averaging 12.4 points and 5.9 rebounds over the first nine games. Richards tops CU in field goal percentage at .594 (41x69) and would rank among the leaders of the Big 12, but she doesn't have the minimum five field goals made per game to qualify. Richards, who has scored 15 points in each of the last two games, has already surpassed her point total for her entire junior season where she had 97 in 30 games. She already has one more field goal than she did all of last year and needs seven rebounds to match her rebounding total as well. Richards has eclipsed the 20 point mark twice this season, including a career-high 25 in the win over Colorado State, which included a personal best 9-of-9 performance from the free throw line. Junior guard Bianca Smith is third on the team in scoring at 10.1 points per contest, but has picked up the pace in late December. She's averaging 18.5 points over the last two games and is also getting it done on the defensive end with nine rebounds and seven steals during that span. She's third on the team in rebounding at 5.6 per game, a substantial improvement from her career 1.7 average entering this season. Smith has six or more rebounds in six of nine games including a career high 12 -- all defensive -- against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, her first double-digit rebounding total. She has six or more rebounds in seven of her last 10 games, dating back to last season. True freshman guard Alyssa Fressle has given the Buffaloes good all-around play. Fressle leads CU and ranks second in the Big 12 steals at 2.6 per game and tops all conference freshmen in steals, scoring (8.8 ppg) and assists (3.6 apg). Overall she is ninth in the Big 12 in assists and is 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1). She logged a team season-high eight assists in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, filling out the stat sheet quite nicely by adding eight points, four steals and three rebounds. Fressle had 11 points and five assists in the win over Saint Louis on Dec. 22. Colorado tweaked its lineup at the point guard position, as sophomore Britney Blythe has started the last two games in place of sophomore Kelly Jo Mullaney. Blythe, who is more of a natural point guard, has responded well to her new duties averaging 5.5 points and 3.5 assists as a starter. She has scored 18 of her 21 points on the season in the last three games, as she also came off the bench to pitch in seven at Seton Hall. Mullaney has also responded well to coming off the bench. She had six points in just 10 minutes of action against Saint Louis. Mullaney has made seven of her last 11 field goal attempts spanning the last four games. She is fifth on the team in scoring (4.9 ppg) and is tied with Spears for second in assists with 17. Colorado's bench continues to be active. Senior guard/forward Hannah Skildum is averaging 3.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game and has also dished out 13 assists. Freshman forward Julie Seabrook has three or more rebounds in seven of her first nine games including four against Saint Louis. Sophomore center Courtney Dunn is providing minutes at the low post, averaging 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Senior forward Dina Piterniece has played in seven games, matching her total from last year, pitching in seven points and four rebounds. Colorado's bench has grown by one as sophomore guard Chelsea Dale returned from ankle surgery to make her season debut in the closing minutes against UMKC. Colorado is averaging 67.4 points per game while allowing 62.7 to opponents. The Buffaloes are shooting 42 percent from the field and 69 percent from the free throw line. Colorado's field goal percentage defense has been good, limiting opponents to just 37 percent from the floor and 28 percent from 3-point range, but opponents are enjoying a 6.2 rebound per game edge over the Buffaloes. Colorado's numbers are significanly better at home where the Buffaloes are 5-2. CU is averaging 75 points per contest while holding opponents to just under 59 per game. The Buffaloes are shooting better as well, hitting 46 percent while holding opponents to 35 percent. Brittany Spears has enjoyed playing at Coors as much as anyone, averaging 23.4 points and 8.6 rebounds at home while hitting 53 percent from the field. ABOUT THE BENGALS: Idaho State is 3-9 overall having lost four straight and seven of its last eight. The Bengals have played nine of their 12 games away from home, sporting a 2-7 mark in unfamiliar venues. Idaho State is averaging 61 points per game while giving up 66 to opponents. The Bengals are shooting 37 percent from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range. Senior guard/forward Michelle Grohs leads Idaho State at 13.1 points per game. She has been on fire from 3-point range this season, hitting 48 percent from downtown (28-of-59). Grohs also averages 7.3 rebounds per contest. Junior forward Oana Iacovita tops the Bengals in rebounding at 8.7 per game and is the second leading scorer at 11.7 per contest. Senior guard Jenna Brown leads ISU in assists (4.3 apg) and is averaging 9.1 points per game. ISU has one Coloradoan on its roster, Broomfield native and Horizon High School graduate Cara Lambert who is averaging 3.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in her sophomore season. SERIES RECORDS: This will be the eighth meeting between Colorado and Idaho State, but just the second since 1982. Colorado holds a 6-1 series lead over ISU, with the last meeting a 95-65 Buffaloes win in the first round of the 2003 Coors Classic. Before Colorado's women officially began Big Eight Conference competition starting with the 1982-83 season, the Buffaloes and Bengals were rivals in the old Intermountain Conference meeting six times from 1980-82. ISU's lone win over CU came during that span, a 61-55 decision in Pocatello on Jan. 22, 1982. The Buffaloes won the rematch later that year in Boulder, 116-55 on Feb. 13, in what remains the third-highest scoring game in CU history. Kathy McConnell-Miller has never faced Idaho State as a head coach. ON THIS DATE: Colorado is 12-5 all-time on Dec. 30 and 5-3 at home including a 91-64 win over Jacksonville State last season. The Buffaloes have also won eight of their last 10 "final games of the calendar year." Colorado is 153-68 all-time in the month of December. The Buffaloes have won 11 of their last 12 games played in the month of December, dating back to 2006. MORE ON SPEARS SCORING: Sophomore Brittany Spears' scoring numbers have been impressive over the first nine games and ranks among the best totals in team history. Her 181 points and 20.1 points per game average ranks fifth on CU's all-time list through the first nine games off the season. Her 36 points against UMass tied for third all-time on the Buffs' single-game chart. Spears trails only former teammate and CU's second all-time leading scorer Jackie McFarland who is on the list twice, Tera Bjorklund (2003-04) and Jamillah Lang who set Colorado's single-season record for scoring average at 19.2 per game. CU All-Time Best Through Nine Games Player (season) Points Avg. 1 Tera Bjorklund (2003-04) 199 22.1 2 Jackie McFarland (2005-06) 194 21.6 3 Jamillah Lang (1993-94) 192 21.3 4 Jackie McFarland (2006-07) 184 20.4 5 Brittany Spears (2008-09) 181 20.1 6 Tera Bjorklund (2002-03) 178 19.8 MORE SMITH FROM DOWNTOWN: Bianca Smith, who set a CU single season record with 80 3-point field goals last year, is beginning to heat up once again from downtown as the Big 12 season nears. After starting the season by hitting just 12 of her first 49 3-point attempts (.245), she has rebounded to hit 8-of-14 (.571) over the last two games. Smith had a career night in terms of accuracy in the win over UMKC hitting 6-of-8 from 3-point range en route to a game-high 21 points. She ranks seventh on CU's career list for 3-point field goals made (132) and attempted (372). Smith needs 18 3-pointers to move into CU's career top five. SOUTHERN GAME CANCELLED: Colorado's game with Southern University scheduled for Friday, Dec. 12, was cancelled due to inclement weather. A rare southern snow storm, which left 3-5 inches in and around the Baton Rouge area the morning of Dec. 11, shut down many businesses, schools and flights. Southern's travel plans were cancelled and the Jaguars were not able find travel alternatives to Boulder for the Dec. 12 date. The game will not be rescheduled in 2008-09. CU women's basketball season ticket holders and fans who purchased single game tickets for the Southern contest can redeem their tickets for any other game remaining on the women's schedule. For more information, contact the CU Athletic Ticket Office at 303-49BUFFS or 800-87BUFFS. SCORING EARLY AND OFTEN AT COORS: The Buffaloes offense started the season red hot, breaking the 80-point mark in their first two games (89.5 ppg). It was the first time CU opened the season with back-to-back 80-plus point games since the 2002-03 campaign when the Buffs began with home wins over Rice (85-66) and Detroit Mercy (86-43). The 179 combined points were CU's most since 2000-01 when the Buffs scored 189 in wins over Albany (93-43) and Howard (96-45). AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Colorado is 50-108 all-time against ranked teams, after falling to No. 16/11 Virginia on Nov. 24. CU had one of its more successful years against ranked teams in 2007-08, sporting a 3-4 records. Prior to the 2007-08 season, the Buffs had suffered 23 straight losses against ranked opponents from 2004-07. BUFFS IN OPENERS: Colorado improved to 30-5 (.857) all-time in season openers and an outstanding 33-2 (.942) all-time in home openers. Colorado has never lost its overall season opener when played at home (23-0). HOUSTON TO MISS SEASON, DALE RETURNS: Junior guard Whitney Houston will miss the 2008-09 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee on Sept. 24 during team individual workouts. She had successful surgery in October and will be able to use her redshirt season and have two years of eligibility remaining. Houston has averaged 6.1 points and 1.8 assists for the Buffaloes in 59 games over the past two seasons. She was a starter in 20 of those and was in the mix for the starting point guard position once again. Houston was CU's leader in scoring (4.3 ppg) and assists (1.4 apg) among those that primarily came off the bench in 2007-08 and averaged 6.5 points and just under two assists over the final 15 games. Sophomore guard Chelsea Dale, who underwent successful surgery to stabilize ligaments in her right ankle in early September, made her season debut against UMKC, playing in the final two minutes of the game. She saw action in 12 games as a true freshman in 2007-08. BUFFS PICKED 11TH...AGAIN: For the third straight season Colorado was picked to finish 11th in the annual Big 12 Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Oklahoma was picked to win the 2009 title with seven first place votes and 124 points overall. Texas, earning one first place vote, edged out Iowa State for second place with 95 points. The Cyclones, who actually claimed a pair of first place votes came in third with 93. Baylor was fourth with 89 (and one first place vote), followed by Texas A&M (85), Oklahoma State (79, and one first place vote), Kansas State (71), Nebraska (56), Kansas (41), Texas Tech (36), Colorado (18) and Missouri (15). The Buffaloes have fared better than the Big 12 coaches preseason prediction each of the last three seasons under Kathy McConnell-Miller: Season Preseason Actual 2008-09 11th ?? 2007-08 11th 9th 2006-07 11th t-7th 2005-06 12th 11th TOUGH SCHEDULE: Colorado once again faces a tough schedule with no less than 17 games against 2008 NCAA or WNIT tournament teams. Seven of CU's opponents are ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches and Associated Press polls and four -- Texas A&M, Texas, Baylor and Oklahoma, are in the top 10 of both. HOME AT THE CECC: Colorado is traditionally tough at home with a 327-100 all-time record at the Coors Events/Conference Center (.766). The Buffaloes have won 10 or more games in a season at the CECC in 20 of the previous 30 years including a 15-6 mark in 2007-08. The Buffaloes have enjoyed five undefeated seasons (1980-83, 1992-94) at the CECC. BUFFS ON TV: Colorado's schedule features seven games that will be televised either regionally or nationally, all at home and on FSN Rocky Mountain. The Buffaloes will host Nebraska on Saturday, Jan. 31 in a nationally televised contest on FSN. Other games on CU's FSN Rocky Mountain schedule are Colorado State (Nov. 19), Baylor (Jan. 10), Oklahoma (Jan. 21), Texas Tech (Jan. 28), Iowa State (Feb. 7) and Missouri (Feb. 28). UP NEXT: Colorado will ring in 2009 and close out the nonconference portion of its schedule with a trip to the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Buffaloes will play Pepperdine on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. MST and then face host Hawaii on Sunday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m. MST.

TIP-OFF TIME SET FOR IOWA-MINNESOTA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

IOWA CITY - - The Iowa women's basketball game against Minnesota on Jan. 11 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City has been established.  Tip-off will be at 4:35 p.m. and the game will be televised to a national cable audience on the Big Ten Network (HD).

Lady Lions Halt Big Ten Skid With 54-51 Victory Over Illinois

Grant hits for 21 points, fourth straight game with 20 or more points

Dec. 28, 2008

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Tyra Grant scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds, marking her fourth straight game with 20 points or more, as Penn State overcame a 12-point, second-half deficit to earn a 54-51 victory over Illinois on Sunday afternoon, breaking a two-game skid and earning their first Big Ten victory since January. Janessa Wolff just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds for the Lady Lions (6-6, 1-1 Big Ten).

The Lady Lions battled back from a 12-point deficit in the second half, slowly chipping away at the lead before taking the lead 52-51 at the 1:06 mark in the second half on Mashea Williams' free throw. It was Penn State's first lead since the 12:16 mark in the first half. Penn State managed a steal after Williams missed her second free throw and after a missed basket, managed to tie up Illinois for a jump ball. With the arrow in the Lions' favor, Penn State took possession and after Grant had her shot blocked, Janesa Wolff grabbed the offensive rebound and banked in a jumper from the elbow to give the Lady Lions a three-point lead, 54-51.

Penn State then withstood two chances by Illinois to tie the game, including a missed three-pointer by Jenna Smith (23 points, 12 rebounds) with three seconds remaining in the game.

Click here to read more.

Gophers Open Big Ten Play Monday at Wisconsin

Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-3, 0-0) vs Wisconsin Badgers (10-2, 0-1) LOCATION  Kohl Center (17,142) - Madison , WIs. DATE / TIME:  Monday, Dec. 29 / 8 p.m. TELEVISION:  Big Ten Network Mark Neely (Play-by-play), Patricia Babcock (Color Analyst) RADIO / WEBCAST:   KBEM 88.5 FM / Gopher Radio Network / gophersports.com Corbu Stathes (Play-by-play), Lynnette Sjoquist (Color Analyst) Golden Gopher Watch List — Dec. 29, 2008 • Golden Gophers Travel to Wisconsin to Open Big Ten Schedule - Minnesota travels to Madison ,  Wis. , on Monday, Dec. 29, to face the Wisconsin Badgers in the Golden Gophers' Big Ten Conference opener. Thanks to an opening-round bye and having the Wisconsin game moved to Monday to accomodate a live television broadcast, six BIg Ten teams will already have played two Conference games before the Gophers have played their first Big Ten contest. • Minnesota/Wisconsin Game on BTN - The Minnesota/Wisconsin game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. It is the first of 11 Gopher games to be televised this season. • Border-Battle Rivalry - The Golden Gophers and Badgers will play each other for the 60th time in the Minnesota/Wisconsin series. Wisconsin owns a 30-29 edge in the series. • A Break From the Books - Minnesota plays the second of eight games between the Fall and Spring semesters on Sunday versus Iowa State . Classes resume on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Gophers Open Big Ten Slate at Wisconsin Minnesota travels to Wisconsin on Monday, Dec. 29, to open its Big Ten Conference schedule. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. The Golden Gophers are 8-3 on the season and look to break a two-game losing streak. The Badgers are 10-2 overall, and opened their Big Ten schedule before Christmas with a 73-63 loss to Iowa . 2008-09 TV Debut For the Gophers Minnesota's game at Wisconsin is the first of 11 games to be televised. The Big Ten Network will televise the contest live with Mark Neely providing the play-by-play and Patricia Babcock the color analysis. Jumping In on the Fun Minnesota is the last team to jump into Big Ten action due to a bye in the first-round of Conference action. Then, thanks to the Minnesota/Wisconsin game being moved to Monday for a BTN televised spot, six teams (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State and Purdue) will actually have played two Big Ten games before the Gophers take to the court for their first Conference contest. A Break From the Books Minnesota plays the second of eight games between the Fall and Spring semesters on Monday versus Wisconsin . Classes resume on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Big Ten Starts With a Bang Minnesota has three games, two on the road, as the Gophers kick off the Big Ten Conference season. The Gophers travel to Wisconsin on Monday, Dec. 29, then host Penn  State on Thursday, Jan. 1, before traveling to Illinois on Saturday, Jan. 3. Big Ten Openers Minnesota is 5-1 under Pam Borton in Big Ten season-opening games. The Gophers captured a 74-63 win at Michigan State to open the Conference slate a year ago. Overall, Minnesota is 13-14 in Big Ten openers. Preseason Team Predictions An Interesting Lot The Big Ten coaches and media have differing opinions of which team is the favorite to win the title this season. The coaches pegged Purdue with top honors, while the media selected Ohio State . The Gophers were picked to finish fifth by the coaches and fourth by the media. Renewing the Border-Battle Rivalry Monday's game is the 60th meeting between border rivals Minnesota and Wisconsin . Wisconsin owns a one-game edge, 30-29, in the series, breaking the tie with 59-57 victory in the second meeting last season. The series matches another border rivalry, the Minnesota/Iowa series, for the longest in Minnesota women's basketball history. Not Close to Being Close Interestingly enough, the outcomes all 11 of the Golden Gopher games, eight wins and three losses, have all come by double-digit margins. Minnesota 's 10-point loss to South Dakota State (55-65) is the "closest" result of the season. The "closest" Gopher win was a 12-point margin, 68-56 over North Dakota State . Hoping the Lid is Off the Basket Through nine games of the season, Minnesota was one of the highest scoring teams in the Big Ten averaging 77.4 points per game. The Gophers' offensive has struggled in the last two games scoring a combined 97 points for an average of 48.5 points a game. The cold spell has lowered Minnesota 's season average to 72.2 points an outing. Emmy Continues Climb Up Scoring Chart Emily Fox started her season in 13th on the Minnesota all-time leading scorers list and is currently 11th with 1,198 career points. Looking ahead, Fox's next target on the list in 10th place is Ellen Kramer (1987-91) with 1,336 points. Ohm Firing on Record Pace From Long Range Katie Ohm has been sensational from behind the arc this season. Her 36 three-point field goals in on record pace to set Minnesota 's single-season record of 73 (Lindsay Lieser, 2001-02; and Shannon Schonrock, 2004-05). Ohm has 12 more three-point field goals made than her nearest Big Ten competitor. It Starts With the Defense Minnesota has used its pressure defense to force opponents into an average of 21.6 turnovers a game. In six games this season, the Gophers have snagged 10 or more steals to lead the Big Ten with an average of 10.55 steals per game. Extra Opportunities A team can win a lot of games if they enjoy continuous success in this statistic - turnover margin. Minnesota   with a ratio of +5.09 owns a ratio of nearly twice that of its nearest Big Ten rival - Indiana at +2.60. In easy terms, Minnesota 's defense is giving its offense extra possessions to the tune of over five a game. Coaches Love This One Minnesota's starting backcourt of Brittany McCoy and Emily Fox are ranked first and second in the Big Ten statistics in a very important, but under-appreciated stat of assist-to-turnover ratio. McCoy checks in with a ratio of 1.87 with 58 assists and 31 turnovers. Fox has 46 assists to 29 turnovers for a 1.59 assist/turnover ratio. The duo enjoyed their best collective outing versus Boston College , combining for 13 assists without a single turnover.