Minnesota hosted Northwestern in a three-game series at U.S. Bank over the weekend, and the Gophers showed flashes of consistency, winning one of three games to move to 3-8 for the season.

Ireland’s strong showing not enough on Saturday

The Gophers weekend series began with Sam Ireland on the mound for a 6 p.m. first pitch Saturday. The right-handed-pitcher brought his A-game, dealing 10 strikeouts, with only four hits and one walk in seven innings en route to allowing only two runs.

“My whole goal is just to give the team a chance to win,” Ireland said. “After the first inning, it kind of lit a fire under me. I had to figure out what was working and what was not working, and trying to just find a way to get outs. Doing anything I can to help the team win.”

Despite Ireland’s strong showing, the Gophers couldn’t pull off the win in their first game of the series, falling 4-3 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Offensively, it was a home run barrage for both teams. Northwestern got the party started with a two-run shot early in the first inning, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.

Freshman Cody Kelly answered with his first career home run, a two-run shot in the fifth inning, knotting the game at two. The hot night at the plate continued for Kelly, as a solo home run in the eighth inning gave him his second of the day and the Gophers a 3-2 lead.

As Ireland departed the mound in the eighth inning, Northwestern took advantage with back-to-back solo home runs on redshirt-senior reliever Tom Skoro, giving the lead back to the Wildcats 4-3.

Wildcats score 10 unanswered Sunday

Redshirt sophomore Jack Liffrig took the mound for Sunday’s 1 p.m. start. After getting out of a first-inning jam, the left-handed pitcher was great out of the gate, tossing four shutout innings.

The Gophers’ offense took advantage. A two-run single from Ronald Sweeny gave them a 2-0 lead in the second inning. As Ireland found success at the plate, the momentum rolled on this time with an RBI single, extending the Gophers’ lead to 3-0 after the fourth inning.

It began to unravel for Liffrig on the mound. After allowing one run in the fifth, it snowballed in the sixth, as he gave up two more earned runs, ending his day with four strikeouts and three walks in five innings.

“We got out of a tough first inning situation and got a big double play, and got some momentum from that,” Gophers head coach John Anderson said. “But, it seems like when it rains, it pours. It’s everything. It’s not one thing. It’s just the little things that you probably don’t notice on the stat sheet that happen during the course of the game. Again, we just need to get a little bit smarter… We’ll keep grinding through this.”

It only got worse. Three runs turned into 10 unanswered runs from Northwestern, which was too much for the Gophers to overcome, as they fell 10-3.

Gophers end series strong Monday

It was a bit of a bullpen start for the Gophers Monday, as they used a handful of arms for their series finale. Sophomore Trent Schoerbel got the party started with 2.2 shutout innings. That helped the Gophers start strong en route to a 7-3 win at US Bank Stadium.

Minnesota’s bats were hot as the day began. Chase Stanke started with an RBI single in the first, and Jack Kelly added a sacrifice fly in the second, giving the Gophers an early 2-0 lead.

As Nolan Burchill took over for Schoerbel, things began to go south. The redshirt senior tossed one shutout inning in the fourth but then allowed three earned runs in the fifth, giving a 3-2 lead to the Wildcats.

This time, the Gophers were able to overcome their deficit. Senior Patrick Fredrickson threw three shutout innings with four strikeouts.

Jack Kelly’s hot day from the plate continued in the sixth inning. A two-run single from the senior outfielder helped the Gophers regain a 4-3 lead. For good measure, two more runs in the eighth inning secured the victory.

Minnesota completed its series with Northwestern winning one of three games. The Gophers’ time at U.S. Bank stadium is likely over, and they will now travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, for a four-game series next weekend with the Cornhuskers.

The Golden Gophers women’s basketball team concluded its 2020-21 campaign with a record of 8-13, following a March 10 loss to Nebraska in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

There were very few expectations for Minnesota entering this season. It was without 49.1% of its scoring from the previous year and senior guard Gadiva Hubbard was the lone returning upperclassman who contributed to the 2019-20 season. A roster of nine underclassmen and two incoming transfers gave the Gophers a serious challenge entering a season in the middle of a pandemic.

Minnesota’s challenges grew, as its first game of the season began with four rotational players on the sideline due to either injury or illness. As players began to work back into their rhythm and grow with their unfamiliar teammates, the Gophers finished 1-1 in non-conference play and went on to win only one of their first seven Big Ten games.

Most teams might have packed it in for the season given the circumstances, but Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen rallied the troops, reeling off wins in five of their next seven games. The Gophers season had completely turned around and their young players seemed to finally be comfortable in their roles.

“We’ve had more time playing together,” Whalen said after the team’s win against Nebraska on Jan. 19. “I told our team today, this is our 10th game and we’ve had five or six where everyone is able to play, so I think it’s just about the time together in the gym.”

Right when things started to look up, sophomore point guard Jasmine Powell suffered an ankle injury against Maryland, an injury that would put her on the shelf for the season. Things only got worse, as “COVID-19 related issues” within the team on top of injuries to sophomore guard Sara Scalia and redshirt sophomore forward Kadi Sissoko left Minnesota’s roster decimated heading into the Big Ten tournament. The Gophers’ hopes of a Cinderella-run in the postseason were shattered.

“Not every day is going to be 75 and sunny and living in Minnesota, we just literally had a stretch where it was minus 20,” Whalen said after the team’s final game. “Today was a day where we obviously had adversity.”

Throughout the season, Whalen had used the popular game Jenga as a motivational tactic for her team. The blocks exemplify building a foundation and getting better every day — something that certainly resonated with the group, as they continued to improve week in and week out no matter what challenges they faced.

“We gotta just keep building every day to get better,” Scalia said. “We have to keep building the foundation, and we have started to do that.”

On the surface, it might be hard to pull any positives from an 8-13 season, but Whalen learned a lot about her team over the last four months.

The Gophers’ three leading scorers all have at least two years of college eligibility remaining, while every player on the team appeared in at least five games. Looking ahead to next season, they will likely return 80% of their scoring production with a chance to return it all, as redshirt senior Gadiva Hubbard and graduate student Laura Bagwell Katalinich have yet to announce whether they will utilize their extra season of eligibility.

The future’s looking bright in Dinkytown, as Minnesota’s talented young roster continues to add blocks to its Jenga tower.

The Golden Gophers’ Big Ten tournament run ended as quickly as it started with a second-round defeat at the hands of Nebraska 72-61 Wednesday morning.

Minnesota tipped off the second round of the Big Ten tournament on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. against Nebraska. The Gophers entered the tournament as the conference’s nine seed, prompting a matchup with the eighth-seeded Cornhuskers for a chance to head to a quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded Maryland.

Both teams have some familiarity this season, both meetings already resulting in two Gophers’ victories. Minnesota was coming off an eight-point loss to last-place Illinois in a game without three of its starters. The roster deficits continued, entering Wednesday without its three top scorers, Sara Scalia, Kadi Sissoko and Jasmine Powell all due to injury.

“Not every day is going to be 75 and sunny and living in Minnesota; we just literally had a stretch where it was minus 20,” Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen said. “Today was a day where we obviously had adversity.”

An influx of injuries prompted freshman guard Katie Borowicz, who was still enrolled in high school just over three months ago, to find herself in the starting lineup for the first time in her Gophers’ career.

“I think she has done a really good job coming into a completely different position than any of us have been in,” Whalen said. “She showed a lot of poise, a lot of grit, and I am proud of the whole team, but I am definitely proud of her.”

Borowicz’s energy was not enough for the Gophers in the first quarter. Second-team All-Big Ten guard Sam Haiby made her presence felt early, with seven first-quarter points for Nebraska. While five Gophers found themselves in the scoring column, they still trailed 16-11 after 10 minutes of play.

The Gophers were clearly missing their offensive leaders in the second quarter, as scoring was hard to come by. They only made three field goals, resulting in a 22-10 deficit in the quarter and 38-21 in the game. Nebraska took advantage of nine first-half Minnesota turnovers, resulting in a 14-0 difference in points off turnovers in the half. The shorthanded Gophers had a big hill to climb in half number two.

Nebraska struggled mightily out of the locker room, shooting 4-for-21 from the field in the third quarter. The Gophers did their best to take advantage, cutting the lead to as low as 12, but 4-for-17 shooting themselves made for a sloppy quarter of play. Nebraska entered the final quarter of play, leading 50-35.

Minnesota did not go down without a fight. Trailing by 17 heading into the break, it could have rolled over and called it a season, but that didn’t happen. After its highest-scoring quarter of the game, Minnesota cut Nebraska’s lead all the way down to nine, but at the end of the day, it was just too little too late. The Cornhuskers came out on top, sending the Gophers home.

“We just started playing hard; we played together,” Whalen said. “I thought defensively we were really good, especially in the third.”

Ultimately the Gophers’ roster absences were too much to overcome. Haiby finished with a game-high 19 points to go along with eight rebounds and three assists. The Gophers outscored Nebraska in the final two quarters, but the hole they put themselves in at halftime was too much to dig out of.

The Gophers’ season is now likely over, as their hopes for an at-large bid to a postseason tournament are bleak with an 8-13 record.

The Gophers women’s basketball team aimed to spoil Illinois’ senior night Friday but came up short, falling 72-64.

After a nine-day layoff, Gophers women’s basketball returned Friday for a matchup with Illinois, marking their final regular-season game of the season. Their extended break was prompted by COVID-19 issues within the Gophers program, resulting in a postponement of their Feb. 28 contest with Michigan.

Minnesota now returned to face an Illinois team that previously only had one win in Big Ten conference play. The Gophers got the best of the Fighting Illini in their Feb. 10 duel, ending in an 83-73 Gophers’ victory. The Gophers looked to slow down Jeanae Terry Friday, who is second on Illinois in points per game (10.8), first in rebounds (7.9) and first in assists (4.3).

The Gophers began Friday one step behind, as they expected to only have eight players in uniform. Second leading scorer Jasmine Powell (14.5 points per game) remained out due to an ankle injury, while Kayla Mershon, Erin Hedman and Caroline Strande were all out due to undisclosed reasons.

Initially, Minnesota could not shake off its rust, as Illinois controlled much of the first quarter. Fortunately for the Gophers, Sara Scalia and Kadi Sissoko were ready for the increased offensive workload. Scalia led the team with six points in the quarter, while Sissoko added five points and two assists. Illinois held a 19-18 lead after 10 minutes of play.

It continued to be a back-and-forth affair for the remainder of the first half. It was the usual suspects for Minnesota, as Scalia and Sissoko led with nine points apiece, and both continued to facilitate the offense with two and three assists, respectively.

Redshirt freshman Grace Cumming joined the duo, scoring career-high nine points of her own in the half. It was a very competitive first half with moments of each team looking to pull away, but the other responded with timely shots. A 35-35 tie heading into halftime set up for a tantalizing second half.

“[Cumming] came out and was aggressive,” Gophers’ head coach Lindsay Whalen said. “It was fun to see her knock a few shots down, absolutely.”

Neither team could extend its lead in the third quarter as the game continued to go back-and-forth. Unfortunately, the Gophers roster only got smaller. At the 4:43 mark of the quarter, Sissoko took a nasty spill slamming the back of her head on the court, which took her out of the game.

“It’s tough; I thought [Sissoko] was the best player on the floor tonight,” Whalen said. “We hope she is okay; she’ll get re-evaluated.”

Minnesota seemed to miss Mershon’s defensive presence all game. A 34-20 deficit in paint points through the third, as well as four fouls from both Klarke Sconiers and Cumming helped Illinois close the quarter on a 6-0 run. The Fighting Illini carried a 57-51 lead heading into the final quarter.

“[Mershon] has been very important,” Whalen said. “Obviously, when we have somebody out, we all have to step up.”

Sconiers fouled out at the 7:58 mark in the fourth quarter, leaving an already hobbled team down two more starters. The Gophers could not overcome the insurmountable roster deficits as Illinois continued to find great success in the post. Illinois’ Eva Rubin finished with a game-high 16 points en-route to the Fighting Illini victory.

“It’s been a tough year for all programs in college basketball, and we’re just playing the hand that was dealt,” Whalen said.

The Gophers finish the regular season 8-12 and currently sit 10th in the conference, as their focus shifts to the Big Ten Conference tournament with a handful of games left to play across the league.

The Gophers’ women’s basketball team struggled without its two leading scorers for much of the contest, falling to No. 9 Maryland 94-62.

Minnesota’s grueling Big Ten schedule continued on Saturday in a road matchup with a top-10 Maryland team. The Terrapins have been on a tear this season, averaging a division one best 92.4 points per game en route to a 16-2 record.

The Gophers were able to hang with Maryland in an earlier contest on Jan. 14 in Williams Arena until the Big Ten’s best put on a master class from beyond the arc, leading to a 90-73 win. What makes the Terrapins so tough to defend is their balanced scoring on offense, with five players averaging double figures. Gophers’ coach Lindsay Whalen was going to need all hands on deck to lead her team to the upset.

Whalen’s starting five was missing a significant piece, as the Gophers’ leading scorer Sara Scalia — 14.9 points per game — was absent from Saturday’s game from what the school later called a “non-COVID related illness.” Gadiva Hubbard replaced Scalia in her first start since Jan. 25.

The Gophers initially looked up for the challenge, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. The Terrapins proceeded to flip a switch, outscoring Minnesota 24-6 for the rest of the first quarter. Maryland’s pressure overwhelmed the Gophers, forcing six turnovers leading to a 24-11 deficit after 10 minutes.

Maryland ballooned its lead all the way to 20 to open quarter number two, but Kadi Sissoko was able to keep the Gophers within a respectable distance. The redshirt sophomore had a team-high eight points, along with five rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the first half.

“I thought [Sissoko] played a really good game,” Whalen said. “She had some really nice energy for us.”

Things only got worse for the Gophers as Jasmine Powell went down with a left leg injury midway through the second quarter. The sophomore guard has been battling ankle problems all season, but this one looked significant. The Terrapins took advantage of shorthanded Minnesota, taking a 49-25 lead into the break.

“They have some very talented players, and they play extremely hard,” Whalen said. “You add those two things together, and they’re a very tough team. That is why they’re first in the conference.”

Minnesota had its back against the wall without its two leading scorers for the second half, as Powell found herself on the bench with ice wrapped around her left ankle.

The Terrapins did not hold back in the third quarter, extending their lead to 70-40. Heading into the final quarter, Maryland’s Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller combined for 40 points, the same number the Gophers had as a team.

“I think they have players that can do pretty much anything on the court,” Sissoko said. “They can shoot, they drive and they can post up pretty well.”

The unforeseen circumstances presented other Gophers with the opportunity to earn some playing time. Freshman Caroline Strande, redshirt freshman Grace Cumming and freshman Erin Hedman all got to contribute down the stretch and showed flashes of great play, but Maryland ultimately came out on top 94-62.

“I thought they competed,” Whalen said. “They got to go out in a Big Ten game and show how hard they’ve been working on their games.”

The Gophers now fall to 7-11 on the season and will head back home to host Nebraska on Feb. 24 at Williams Arena.

On a day with frigid temperatures outside, the Gopher women’s basketball team was able to warm up the Barn, taking down Wisconsin 68-63 to move to 7-9 on the season.

A Sunday afternoon tip-off presented the Golden Gophers with an opportunity to earn their fifth win in their last seven games as they welcomed Wisconsin to Williams Arena. Minnesota would don its pink uniforms once again in its second consecutive Play4Kay pink game.

An earlier matchup between the bitter rivals saw Minnesota leave Madison, Wisconsin with an 88-80 victory. Since the Jan. 3 contest, both teams find themselves in very different positions. The Badgers have dropped nine of their last 11 games, while the Gophers are playing their best basketball of the season.

The Gophers began Sunday’s game with great energy on both ends of the floor, jumping out to a 12-4 lead. Six turnovers in the first quarter limited the Badgers’ ability to cut into the Gophers’ lead, while Jasmine Powell’s six points and three assists in the quarter helped Minnesota take advantage, resulting in an 18-10 lead.

Minnesota’s defense continued to give the Badgers trouble in the second quarter, forcing six more turnovers. It was not the same story for the Gophers’ offense, as a lead that was as high as 10 fell all the way down to two due to six turnovers of their own. Two big threes from Sara Scalia helped the Gophers hang onto a 32-28 lead after a relatively sloppy second quarter.

Redshirt sophomore Kadi Sissoko had quite a polarizing performance Sunday, and the third quarter was no different. The 6-foot-2 forward struggled in the second quarter with three turnovers and two fouls, but also had six points, four rebounds and two steals. She turned around and recorded seven points and two more rebounds in the third quarter, bringing her total to 18 and seven in only 20 minutes of play through the first three quarters.

“For the last few games, she’s been tremendous,” Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen said. “She has been working at her game all season, and now she’s playing with a ton of confidence.”

Five offensive rebounds and seven second-chance points in the quarter helped the Gophers take advantage of Sissoko’s performance, carrying a 50-41 lead into the final quarter of play.

Sissoko picked up her fourth foul less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, leading to an extended stay on the bench. The Gophers’ offense was able to manage without her, as Scalia and Powell made big plays when the team needed them most. After a late comeback from the Badgers, Minnesota survived 68-63.

“I think as a team, coming together and having plenty of practice now, we’ve been able to grind through a few things,” Whalen said. “On the tough nights, when we let a team go on a run, we learned from those things.”

It was the usual suspects for the Gophers, as Sissoko, Scalia and Powell combined for 52 of the team’s 68 points. The Gophers were able to overcome serious foul trouble, and 15 turnovers to come out with their fifth win in the last seven games.

“This was huge for us to get a couple wins before we go back on the road,” Whalen said. “There is not a question that is going to be a fight to the finish.”

Next for the Gophers is a Feb. 17 matchup in Piscataway, New Jersey against Rutgers.

On a day with frigid temperatures outside, the Gopher women’s basketball team was able to warm up the Barn, taking down Wisconsin 68-63 to move to 7-9 on the season.

A Sunday afternoon tip-off presented the Golden Gophers with an opportunity to earn their fifth win in their last seven games as they welcomed Wisconsin to Williams Arena. Minnesota would don its pink uniforms once again in its second consecutive Play4Kay pink game.

An earlier matchup between the bitter rivals saw Minnesota leave Madison, Wisconsin with an 88-80 victory. Since the Jan. 3 contest, both teams find themselves in very different positions. The Badgers have dropped nine of their last 11 games, while the Gophers are playing their best basketball of the season.

The Gophers began Sunday’s game with great energy on both ends of the floor, jumping out to a 12-4 lead. Six turnovers in the first quarter limited the Badgers’ ability to cut into the Gophers’ lead, while Jasmine Powell’s six points and three assists in the quarter helped Minnesota take advantage, resulting in an 18-10 lead.

Minnesota’s defense continued to give the Badgers trouble in the second quarter, forcing six more turnovers. It was not the same story for the Gophers’ offense, as a lead that was as high as 10 fell all the way down to two due to six turnovers of their own. Two big threes from Sara Scalia helped the Gophers hang onto a 32-28 lead after a relatively sloppy second quarter.

Redshirt sophomore Kadi Sissoko had quite a polarizing performance Sunday, and the third quarter was no different. The 6-foot-2 forward struggled in the second quarter with three turnovers and two fouls, but also had six points, four rebounds and two steals. She turned around and recorded seven points and two more rebounds in the third quarter, bringing her total to 18 and seven in only 20 minutes of play through the first three quarters.

“For the last few games, she’s been tremendous,” Gophers head coach Lindsay Whalen said. “She has been working at her game all season, and now she’s playing with a ton of confidence.”

Five offensive rebounds and seven second-chance points in the quarter helped the Gophers take advantage of Sissoko’s performance, carrying a 50-41 lead into the final quarter of play.

Sissoko picked up her fourth foul less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, leading to an extended stay on the bench. The Gophers’ offense was able to manage without her, as Scalia and Powell made big plays when the team needed them most. After a late comeback from the Badgers, Minnesota survived 68-63.

“I think as a team, coming together and having plenty of practice now, we’ve been able to grind through a few things,” Whalen said. “On the tough nights, when we let a team go on a run, we learned from those things.”

It was the usual suspects for the Gophers, as Sissoko, Scalia and Powell combined for 52 of the team’s 68 points. The Gophers were able to overcome serious foul trouble, and 15 turnovers to come out with their fifth win in the last seven games.

“This was huge for us to get a couple wins before we go back on the road,” Whalen said. “There is not a question that is going to be a fight to the finish.”

Next for the Gophers is a Feb. 17 matchup in Piscataway, New Jersey against Rutgers.

After four quarters of play, Minnesota left Columbus, Ohio, with a 83-59 loss Sunday, falling to the Ohio State Buckeyes. The team dropped to 5-9 on the season.

The matchup with the No. 11-ranked Buckeyes, a Big Ten elite team, was Minnesota’s first game since its loss to Iowa last Sunday, which snapped the team’s three-game win streak.

Ohio State entered Sunday as the 10th most prolific scoring offense in the country, averaging 83.1 points per game. It is led by sophomore guard Jacy Sheldon, who is averaging a team-high 17 points through 13 contests, along with four other players averaging double figures. Minnesota was set to have its hands full with a Buckeyes team that has won 11 of its 13 games this season.

Minnesota’s hopes of leaving Columbus with a win were a bit lower, as starting guard Gadiva Hubbard was held out of her third consecutive game due to an ankle injury she suffered Jan. 25 against Penn State.

Ohio State played well up to its billing in the first quarter, quickly jumping out to a 14-4 lead. Turnovers and fouls plagued the Gophers in the first 10 minutes. As a team, they recorded six turnovers, while Jasmine Powell picked up her second foul late in the quarter resulting in an extended stay on the bench. Ohio State took advantage, leading 25-14 heading into the second.

The Gophers shrunk the Buckeyes’ lead all the way down to four in quarter number two, but a 9-4 Ohio State run to end the half extended its lead to 39-30. Minnesota’s defense forced its opposition into five turnovers in the quarter but recorded six of its own on offense. After failing to make a single field goal in the final 3:45 of the quarter, the Gophers trailed by nine heading into the locker room.

The Buckeyes came out of the locker room with something to prove, opening the third quarter on a 15-2 run. It only got worse for the Gophers, as seven turnovers in the quarter resulted in 13 Ohio State points. Minnesota trailed 66-41 heading into the final quarter of play.

“Our goal is always less than 14 [turnovers],” Gophers’ head coach Lindsay Whalen said. “But give them credit; they’re as long, as big and as athletic as advertised.”

Gophers Klarke Sconiers and Caroline Strande did their best to make the final score look a lot closer than it really was. The duo combined for 15 points in the fourth quarter, as the Gophers outscored Ohio State 18-17. But the Buckeyes were ultimately too much for Minnesota to handle.

“There are some things that we can take from a positive standpoint for sure,” Whalen said. “The hole we dug at the start of the game and third quarter was unfortunately just too big to overcome.”

As a team the Gophers finished with 25 turnovers, resulting in 27 Ohio State points. Sheldon’s 17 points and a pair of double-doubles from Dorka Juhasz and Aaliyah Patty were simply too much for Minnesota to overcome.

“We’ll keep working; that is all I know how to do,” Whalen said.

Minnesota will look to get back on track Feb. 10 as the Gophers host Illinois (2-11), which finds itself second to last in the Big Ten standings.

Sophomore guard Sara Scalia has recently emerged as a serious scoring threat for the Gophers women’s basketball team, averaging a team high of 19 points per game over the last five contests, highlighted by a career-high 30 points on Jan. 28 against Purdue.

Scalia, a Stillwater, Minnesota native, began her Gophers career with serious expectations. Nationally, she was a bit of an unknown, rated as a three-star recruit and the No. 56 guard in the country, according to ESPN. But if you followed girls high school basketball in Minnesota, you knew the Gophers were getting a special talent.

The 2019 Pioneer Press East Metro girls basketball player of the year averaged 22.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.6 steals per contest, while shooting 45.5% from the field her senior year, proving the Gophers were getting a player that could contribute right away.

The 5-foot-10 guard did just that, putting together a terrific freshman campaign, earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after averaging 10.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Minnesota was set to lose 49.1% of its scoring from the 2019-20 season, therefore Scalia was in line for an expanded role heading into this season.

Her sophomore campaign started out a little slow. Scalia missed the Gophers’ first two games while battling an injury, and she didn’t look like herself early in the season.

Things only got worse as, in her fourth game back on Jan. 3 against Wisconsin, she ran into a hard screen in the second half, forcing her out of the game completely. Later she found out she had separated her shoulder. She toughed it out and played the next game after receiving an injection and still finished with 18 points against Iowa on Jan. 6.

“The only thing I can say about her is that she is an absolute warrior,” Gophers’ head coach Lindsay Whalen said following the game. “If we continue to have players with hearts as big as hers, we’re going to be just fine.”

Scalia was then held out of the next game against Penn State, giving her a chance to fully recover from her injury. When she returned she came back with something to prove. The sophomore guard scored in double figures in each of her last seven games after failing to do so in her first three.

“She’s healthy, she’s in a good rhythm and she is able to practice,” Whalen said following Scalia’s career-high 30-point performance. “She’s getting back into basketball shape.”

When Minnesota took on Purdue, it was truly Scalia’s breakout performance. She finished the game with 30 points on 10-for-17 shooting from the field and a remarkable 6-for-10 shooting from beyond the three-point line. She carried the Gophers to a 77-72 victory, which was the team’s third consecutive win.

“I think it all kind of starts with the work I have been putting [in] since I’ve been back,” Scalia said after the game.

Throughout the season, Whalen has used the popular game Jenga as a motivational tactic for her team. The blocks exemplify building a foundation and getting better every day – something that has resonated with the group, as they’ve continued to improve week in and week out.

“We gotta just keep building every day to get better,” Scalia said. “We have to keep building the foundation, and we have started to do that.”

Minnesota has begun the 2020-21 season with a 3-7 record. The start of the season has provided both some positive and some negative results, but some numbers in particular might begin to tell the story of Gophers’ slow start.

Defensive struggles

It is apparent that the Gophers’ first 10 games of the season have not gone as planned. There is no way to point to one thing as the problem, but whoever has been on the court this season for Minnesota has struggled holding their opponents away from the hoop.

Out of 336 Division I women’s basketball teams that have competed in a game this season, the Gophers rank No. 334 in scoring defense. In its 10 games this season, Minnesota has allowed 80.8 points per contest.

Minnesota’s defensive woes stem from its opponents success at shooting the ball. The Gophers consistently allow high percentage shots, with their opponents shooting 46.4% per-contest. Minnesota’s field goal percentage defense ranks 10th-worst in the nation at the Division I level. Its opponents have shot at a 39.4% clip on average from beyond the arc. This ranks the team No. 330 at the Division I level.

To go along with their poor field goal percentage defense, Lindsay Whalen’s Gophers also struggle at forcing their opponents into mistakes. The 13.4 turnovers per game Minnesota’s defense forces ranks tied for No. 301 in the country.

There have been basketball teams that have found success at all levels with sub-par to below-average defenses, with hopes of out-scoring their opponent on their own end of the floor. Although this may be true, there becomes a point where it is too much, and the Gophers’ opponents have had no trouble getting wherever they want on the floor.

This young and inexperienced Minnesota team struggles on the defensive end and the Gophers put themselves in holes that even the best offenses could not pull themselves out of.

Offensive success

Whalen’s fast-pace offensive coaching style presents the Gophers with plenty of opportunities for points on that end of the floor. They currently rank No. 134 in the nation, scoring 68.7 points on average each game.

And Minnesota has recently found great success shooting the ball from beyond the arc. In its last two contests, it shot 38.1% against Maryland and 46.9% against Nebraska. The Gophers’ hot streak ranks them No. 138 in the country at 31.8% for the season. The team spends a lot of time shooting from downtown, tied for No. 75 in the country in three point field goal attempts per game, shooting eight per contest.

Through 10 games, the Gophers have proven to be one of the better passing teams in the country. They may only be tied for No. 116 in the nation with 14 assists per contest, but over the last two games, they’ve recorded 15 against Maryland and 18 against Nebraska. This has resulted in Minnesota ranking No. 113 in the country in assist to turnover ratio at 0.9.

The Gophers’ success scoring the ball presents optimism for the rest of the season and beyond. If Whalen’s team is able to become more disciplined on the defensive end, it could quickly reel off a winning-streak, as the last month of the season has shown they can keep up with most teams on the offensive end of the floor.

Individual standouts

Sophomore guard Jasmine Powell has taken a leadership role with the Gophers, as she has been the team’s most effective offensive player this season.

She ranks No. 14 in the country, averaging 5.9 assists per contest, and she is also tied for No. 141 in three point percentage, shooting 35.5% in 10 games this season. Lastly, she ranks No. 100 in points per game, averaging 17.1.

Powell’s ability to lead a team through Big Ten conference play as a young player proves to be promising for the inexperienced Gophers’ future. In the short term, Gadiva Hubbard (10.9 PPG) and Sara Scalia (11.6 PPG) have proven to both be great second options offensively for Minnesota, but all three players’ defensive woes have outshined their successful offensive seasons.