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 -