The latest AP Top 25 poll rewarded the Minnesota Gophers strong start. Minnesota came into Tuesday’s game against Maryland Terrapins ranked #24 in the nation. This marks the first time Minnesota has been ranked since the 2019 season. Playing extra games in the WNIT last year has helped this young squad play better in competitive situations. Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit explains how she gets the team motivated.
“I made them listen to MC Hammer and ’90s music,” Plitzuweit said in a phone interview Monday. “It was an extra opportunity to compete and with a lot of games on the road because we couldn’t host because of scheduling conflicts. That helped us get ready for this year.”
The move has paid off, with the team winning 16 out of their first 17 games, marking the Gopher’s best start in school history.
Maryland Holds Off Minnesota’s Late Charge
The Gophers were down by 20 points with 2:59 to go in the game, when they went on a 16-0 run to make it a 93-89 Maryland lead, but the Terrapins were just too strong at the line in the closing minutes and held off the Gophers (16-2 4-2) by a score of 99-92. Maryland (16-1 6-1 Big Ten) gets back on track after losing their first game against #4 USC by 5 points.
Maya Battle led the Gophers with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, three other Gopher players were in double figures scoring. Sophie Hart had 14 points and 9 rebounds. Tori McKinney was back in the starting lineup after missing the Rutgers game due to a concussion injury, she scored 9 points in 19 minutes.
Shyanne Sellers put up a productive night for Maryland, scoring a game-high 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Sellers shot 9-11 from the floor, 3-3 from 3-point range, and 6-6 from the free-throw line. Kaylene Smikle chipped in with 19 points, and senior forward Allie Kubek had 17 points off the bench for Maryland. Maryland lost their standout guard Bri McDaniel in the first quarter to a knee injury.
Minnesota: Key Takeaways
The Gophers are 2nd in the Big Ten at forcing turnovers (17.3 per game). they forced 18 Maryland turnovers that amounted to 20 points. Only two teams all season had scored 60 or more points against Minnesota, the Terps had 73 by the end of the third quarter. Minnesota showed resilience rallying at the end.
Maryland: Key Takeaways
The Terps shot 66% from the field in the second half and 7 of 11 from 3-point range. Seven fourth-quarter turnovers kept this game close.
Key Statistics
The Gophers are #1 in the nation in turnovers at (9.7 per game) but did have 12 against the Terps.
Maryland made all 22 of its free throw attempts.
Gophers: A Look Ahead
Up next for the Gophers, they will travel to Evanston and play the Northwestern Wildcats on Sunday. The Wildcats are (7-9 0-5) on the season and have struggled to score the ball this year, almost dead last in the Big Ten at 66.4 PPG. Senior Caileigh Walsh leads the Wildcats in scoring with 11.3 PPG. Senior Taylor Williams averages close to a a double-double on the year, averaging 10.8 PPG, and 9.3 rebounds. The Gophers will look to get back on track and keep moving up the Big Ten standings.
Tough Road Ahead for Terps
This game marks the first of four straight against ranked teams. Next, they will play the #7 ranked Texas Longhorns in the annual Coretta Scott King Classic on Monday, January 20th at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Texas will rely on Freshman Phenom Madison Booker to carry the load. Coming off a tough shooting game against South Carolina, Booker only scored seven points and shot 15.8% from the field.
Texas will need players like Taylor Jones, and Kyla Oldacare to step up offensively. I think Booker will have a nice bounce-back game. Texas does have a great defense, that could catapult them to a victory but it looks like it will be a close game till the end.
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