Buford, Fox Lead Gophers to Win at Illinois

Minnesota rookie Kiara Buford scored eight late points, including a decisive three-pointer in the final minute, to lead the Golden Gophers to a 52-48 win over Illinois in Assembly Hall in Champaign , Ill. , on Saturday in front of a national CBS audience. Buford led the way with 14 points as Minnesota improves to 10-4 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play. Emily Fox added 13, capped off by to game-icing free throws with 19 seconds left.   "Kiara and Emily really came through with some big plays at the end of the game," said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. "Throughout the second half, our team displayed a great deal of positive energy during timeouts. They believed they could go out, make the plays, and pull out this win."   "Kiara's eight points late in the game were huge," added Borton. "I'm not sure we couldn't have won this without them. Kudos to Emily too. She did what we needed her to do today as a senior and a leader. She took over the game late."   The Gophers took a brief lead at 28-26 on a four-point play by Katie Ohm with 15:58 to play. Ohm hit a three-pointer from the right wing and was fouled by Illinois ' Chelsea Gordon. After a media timeout, Ohm converted on the free throw of the unusual four-point play, the Gophers' first of the season.   The lead was quickly erased on the Illini's next possession. Lacey Simpson drove to the free throw line and threw up a desperation jumper as the shot clock expired to tie the game. The basket ignited an 8-0 run to give Illinois a 34-28 lead.   Minnesota went over four minutes without a basket in the run. Ohm fired from the left wing for her second trey of the game and her ninth point of the second half. She was held scoreless and went 0-2 from the floor   Macie Blinn continued her career game burning the Gophers' defense on a pair on back-door lay-ups as Illinois rebuilt a six-point lead to 41-35.   Emily Fox, who had scored on just two free throws to that point of the second half, drove to the basket on consecutive possessions, her second tying the score at 41-41.   Illinois ' Jenna Smith hit a big-time left-handed jumper to give the Illinois a 43-41 advantage. Buford attacked the lane, spun and hit a short jumper to give the Gophers' another lead at 44-43. Chelsea Gordon tied the score a 44-44 with a free throw.   Ashley Ellis-Milan put Minnesota up a point on a free throw, followed by freshman Fabiola Josil jumper from the left wing, once again after 29 seconds of solid Gopher defense. Illinois led 46-45.   Buford made another quick move and drove for a left-handed to give the Gophers a 47-46 edge. Illinois went to its All-American once again, but Smith's fall-away jumper from 15 feet bounced off the rim and Ellis-Milan snagged the rebound. Buford hit the biggest shot of her young Gopher career on a three-pointer from deep in the right corner.   Illinois scored quickly on a running Blinn jumper to bring the Illni to within two points at 50-48. It was Minnesota 's turn to put the ball in the hands of their senior standout Fox. Fox was fouled and stepped to the free throw line in the bonus situation. She calmly swished the first, then the second to put the Gophers up by four points and record the final margin of victory at 52-48.   Minnesota used a 6-1 run in the last four minutes of the half to pull to within 23-20 at halftime. The Gophers only shot 30.8 percent in the opening period with Illinois swatting six blocks.   Smith finished with 11 points and four rebounds for Illinois . Blinn led all scorers with 16.   The Gophers return home to Williams Arena on Thursday, Jan. 8, to host Indiana at 7 p.m.   - UM -