Fox Scores 22 Points in Gopher Win at Penn State

Emily Fox scored 22 points to lead Minnesota to a 63-61 victory at Penn State on Thursday. Minnesota improved to 16-6 overall and 8-3 in Big Ten play.   Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton talked about Big Ten games coming down to the final play at the team's shoot-around. Borton's predictions was straight on.   With 16 seconds to play, Fox made one of two free throws to give Minnesota a two-point cushion (63-61). Penn State 's Brianne O'Rourke pushed the ball upcourt and everyone in the arena knew the ball was going to Lady Lions and Big Ten leading scorer Tyra Grant. Grant missed a 10-foot jumper in heavy traffic on the left baseline. The ball rimmed out and in a scramble for the rebound the ball ended up back in Grant's head, but she didn't have time to gather herself for a shot. She did get the ball off but the shot was far short of the rim.   Minnesota was able to celebrate its second consecutive victory in Bryce Jordan Arena.   Ashley Ellis-Milan also contributed several big plays down the stretch. She hit a free throw to tie the score at 57-57, then grabbed a steal that resulted in a Fox basket to put the Gophers up 59-57.   The Gopher defense came up with a big stop, but Minnesota 's 22nd turnover of the game, this time a traveling call on Kiara Buford, put the ball back in Penn State 's court. Grant banked in a short jumper, giving her a team-high 21 points, to tie the game at 59-all.   Ellis-Milan drew a foul on the Gophers' next possession and hit one free throw. Fox knocked away a Penn State pass and darted down the court but missed a layup with plenty of Penn State pressure. Ellis-Milan was rewarded for her hustle as she snatched the rebound and banked home a huge bucket to put the Gophers up by three points at 62-59 with 1:17 remaining.   With 1:04 remaining, Penn State 's Janessa Wolff was fouled and went to the line. Her first free throw bounced high off the rim, but then found the bottom of the net. Wolff converted the second much easier to bring the Lady Lions to within a point at 62-61.   The Gophers looked to run off time, but they ran off too much time and the Penn State defense forced a 30-second violation. Penn State looked to Grant whose jumper was off the front of the rim. Jackie Voigt grabbed the rebound before she was tied up by Wolff for a jump ball. Luckily, the possession arrow was aimed in Minnesota 's direction. Fox took the foul and made the one free throw setting up the game's final play.   Penn State scored 23 points on Minnesota 's 16 first-half turnovers to take a 34-28 lead into halftime. The Lady Lions took a 29-18 lead with back-to-back three pointers by Grant, but the Gophers used a 10-5 run in the last three minutes to cut into the Penn State lead.   When Minnesota got a shot the Gophers took advantage in the first half hitting 55 percent (11-20). Fox converted all five of her first-half field goal attempts for 11 points.   Fox tallied her game-high total making 10 of 14 from the field. Ellis-Milan added 12 points, while Buford chipped in nine off the bench.   Minnesota returns home for a Sunday game versus Iowa at 2 p.m.   - UM -