Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-4, 2-1) vs. Indiana Hoosiers (10-2, 3-0)
LOCATION Williams Arena / Minneapolis , Minn.
DATE / TIME: Thursday, Jan. 8 / 7 p.m.
TELEVISION: None
RADIO / WEBCAST: KBEM 88.5 FM / Gopher Radio Network / gophersports.com
Corbu Stathes (Play-by-play), Lynnette Sjoquist (Color Analyst)
Golden Gopher Watch List — Jan. 8, 2009
• Golden Gophers Host Indiana on Thursday - Minnesota plays host to Big Ten co-leaders Indiana on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. in Williams Arena. The Golden Gophers are 10-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, a game behind Indiana and Ohio State who are leading the way with 3-0 records.
• Tip Time Announced For Iowa Game on Jan. 11 - The tip for the Minnesota / Iowa has been set for 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 11. The game will be televised by the Big Ten Network.
• Gophers Defeat Illinois in Last Outing - The Gophers captured a 52-48 victory at Illinois to noth their 10th win of the season. The outcome was the first, either win or loss, decided by 10 or less points. The game was nationally televised by CBS.
• Fox, Buford Lead Gophers to Victory - Emily Fox and Kiara Buford combined to score 18 of the Gophers’ final 19 points in the win at Illinois . Buford finished with 14 points to lead all Gophers.
Gophers Host Big Ten Co-Leaders Indiana
Minnesota plays host to Big Ten co-leaders Indiana on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. in Williams Arena. The Golden Gophers are 10-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, a game behind Indiana and Ohio State who are leading the way with 3-0 records. The Hoosiers, who have won nine straight games, are 10-2 overall.
One and Done Versus the Hoosiers
The 18-game Big Ten Conference schedule includes two opponents that a team will face just once during the season. Indiana visits Williams Arena on Thursday, but the Gophers will not make a return trip to Bloomington this season. Wisconsin wais the Gophers’ other one-and-done was this season. In addition to Minnesota , Indiana will play Purdue only once.
Gophers Capture a Close One
Game number 14 on the Minnesota schedule finally provided a close finish, win or loss, decided by less than 10 points. The Gophers captured a 52-48 victory at Illinois to notch their 10th win of the season.
Dust Off the Record Books to Find This One
Since the addition of the three-point field goal, it has been very unusual to win a game when scoring in the 50s. In fact, one has to go way back - 31 years ago - to find a game when Minnesota captured victory scoring less than the 52 points the Gophers scored in the win at Illinois in Champaign on Jan. 3. On Dec. 3, 1977, Minnesota defeated Lakehead (a Canadian university) by a score of 50-49. Since the three-point field goal was established at the beginning of the 1987-88 season, the lowest winning total for the Gophers is 52 points, at Illinois in Minnesota’s last outing and a 52-50 win at San Diego on Nov. 23, 1999.
Fox, Buford Take Over Illinois Game Late
One would expect a senior to step up as a close game nears completion. Emily Fox did just that in scoring several big buckets in the last five minutes of the Gophers’ 52-48 win at Illinois . Fox later iced the outcome making both ends of the bonus from the free throw line with 19 seconds left. But Fox wasn’t the only one playing a huge role in the game’s closing minutes. True freshman Kiara Buford scored eight points in the final five minutes of the game, including back-to-back baskets in the last minute and a half. Her three pointer from deep in the right corner with 47 seconds remaining was as big as they come.
The Fox and Buford Show
Emily Fox and Kiara Buford combined to score 18 of the Gophers’ final 19 points in the win at Illinois . A point scored by Ashley Ellis-Milan from the free throw line was the only addition by a player other than Fox or Buford in the final nine minutes of the game.
A Defensive Battle on Paper
Minnesota’s defense has given up an average of 55.0 points in Big Ten play. Indiana has allowed just 53.0 points an outing. Needless to say, every possession is going to be an important one in this game.
Experience on Hoosiers’ Side
Indiana will start three seniors, one more than Minnesota even has on its roster. Those seniors, Whitney Thomas, Amber Jackson and Kim Robersson all average in double figures and combined to contribute over 53 percent of the Hoosiers’ points in the first three Big Ten games. The only Indiana freshman to play in all three of those games was guard Ashlee Mells, who averaged 3.3 points and 9.0 minutes per game. In comparison, the Gophers often have two freshman on the court in starter Jackie Voigt and key reserve Kiara Buford. Voigt is averaging 30.0 minutes per Big Ten game chipping in 6.0 points and 5.0 rebounds. Buford is scoring 9.3 points in 14.3 minutes per Big Ten game.
Buford Making Most of Minutes
Gopher rookie Kiara Buford is averaging 11.6 points per game when she sees 20 or more minutes of action. Buford is coming off a 14-point performance on an impressive 6-for-7 shooting outing in 21 minutes versus Illinois . Averaging 9.3 points per Conference game, Buford is currently the Big Ten’s second-leading freshman scorer behind Purdue’s Brittany Rayburn (10.0).
A Break From the Books
Minnesota’s game versus Indiana is the Gophers’ fifth of eight games between the Fall and Spring semesters on Thursday versus Illinois . Classes resume on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
Fox Returns to Familiar Form
Minnesota’s Emily Fox suffered the worst game of her collegiate career at Wisconsin on Monday, scoring just two points on an ice-cold 1-14 shooting from the field. On Thursday, the Gopher leader battled back to contribute the type of game that Minnesota fans have come so accustomed from #4 - 15 points, with four rebounds, four assists without a turnover, and a steal in 32 minutes of play. Fox added 13 points and three assists versus Illinois .
Voigt One of Four Big Ten Rookie Starters
Minnesota forward Jackie Voigt is one of four true freshmen in the Big Ten to earn a spot in the starting lineup of their respective teams for the opening games of the Conference season. The 6-1 forward has started all 14 games for the Gophers this season. Other rookie starters around the Big Ten are: Fabiola Josil ( Illinois , guard), Brittany Orban (Northwestern, forward) and Samantha Prahalis ( Ohio State , guard).
Ohm Firing on Record Pace From Long Range
Katie Ohm has been sensational from behind the arc this season. Her 42 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 and twice the number of everyone but eight Conference players. Ohm has netted three or more three-pointers in nine games this season.
Scouting Indiana
Indiana is off to a 3-0 mark in Big Ten play and thanks to an impressive nine-game winning streak. The Hoosiers have notched Conference wins over Northwestern (81-57), Michigan State (62-48) and Iowa (xx) to open the season. Senior forward Whitney Thomas became the 20th Hoosier to tally 1,000 career points, passing the milestone in her last outing. Thomas averages 11.6 points per game and nearly a double-double with 9.7 rebounds an outing as well. Center Amber Jackson, the Big Ten’s leader in field goal percentage making 59.4 percent of her attempts, leads the Hoosiers in scoring at 16.0 points a game. During their winning streak, Indiana was won by an average of over 16.0 points a game.
The Minnesota / Indiana Series
Minnesota leads the series with Indiana by a 28-25 margin. Though Minnesota has won seven of the last 10 games, the teams have split the series in the last two seasons with each winning on their home court.
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