Opening Tip-Off Minnesota Projected Starters
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10 NCAA TOURNAMENTS • 1 FINAL FOUR • 11 ALL-AMERICANS • 5 BIG TEN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR • 7 WNBA DRAFT PICKS GAME 32 FIFTH THIRD ARENA (12,012) Date: Sunday, March 24, 2019 // 2:00 p.m. CT Site: Fifth Third Arena // Cincinnati, Ohio MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS CINCINNATI BEARCATS Stream: BearcatsTV Rank: AP - NR | Coaches - NR Rank: AP - NR | Coaches - NR Radio: 96.7 FM, KFAN Plus / iHeartRadio app Head Coach: Lindsay Whalen Head Coach: Michelle Clark-Heard Talent: Corbu Stathes, Lynnette Sjoquist 21-10 Career (1st season): 21-10 Career (9th season): 200-90 22-10 Live Stats: GopherSports.com 9-9 Big Ten At Minnesota (1st): Same At Cincinnati (1st): 22-10 12-4 AAC SERIES INFORMATION OPENING TIP-OFF vs. Cincinnati • After defeating Northern Iowa in the opening round of the Women’s Overall: Never Met vs. AAC Teams: Minnesota Leads 9-6 National Invitation Tournament, Minnesota (21-10, 9-9 B1G) will visit At Home: Minnesota Leads 5-0 Cincinnati (22-10, 12-4 American Athletic Conference) in the WNIT sec- On the Road: Series Tied 3-3 ond round Sunday at 2 p.m. CT at Fifth Third Arena. The game, which is At Neutral Sites: Minnesota Trails 1-3 the fi rst ever between the schools, will be streamed on GoBearcats.com Last Meeting: W, 70-60 vs. Memphis (12/12/15) and can also be heard on the Gophers’ radio home, 96.7 FM KFAN Plus. Streak vs. AAC: Minnesota Won 2 • Minnesota is making its fi fth appearance all-time in the WNIT, also 2018-19 SCHEDULE/RESULTS participating in the tournament in 2007, 2013, 2014 and 2016. The Date Rank Opponent Result Golden Gophers are 5-4 all-time in the event, including a run to the 11.9 RV/RV New Hampshire (BTN+) W 70-47 Sweet 16 in 2014. 11.14 25/RV at Xavier W 78-53 11.17 25/RV San Diego (BTN+) W 53-48 • The Gophers are 1-2 all-time in the WNIT’s second round. The win 11.20 23/RV Ark.-Pine Bluff (BTN+) W 84-42 came in 2014 over SMU, while the losses came to Western Kentucky 11.23 23/RV Cornell (BTN+) W 65-45 (2007) and South Dakota (2016). ACC/Big Ten Challenge 11.29 20/RV #12/12 Syracuse (BTN) W 72-68 Sophomore Destiny Pitts has scored 12.2 20/RV Air Force (BTN+) W 67-50 • The winner of Sunday’s game between the Gophers and Bearcats will face the winner of Saturday’s contest featuring Kent State and Butler. at least 21 points in each of the past 12.5 14/18 Incarnate Word (BTN+) W 75-39 eight games, averaging 24.8 points per 12.9 14/18 at Boston College W 77-69 The date and site of that third round game is still to be determined. contest and shooting 48.8 percent from 12.12 13/16 Coppin State (BTN+) W 84-52 12.22 13/16 Rhode Island (BTN+) W 91-71 • Holding a record of 21-10 overall and 9-9 in Big Ten play, Minnesota the fi eld and 40.0 percent on 3-pointers 12.28 12/15 Wisconsin* (BTN) W 74-56 has recorded the 14th 20-win season in program history. Additionally, during that stretch. 12.31 12/13 at Michigan* (BTN+) L 60-76 the Golden Gophers fi nished at .500 or better in the Big Ten for the fi fth 1.6 12/13 Illinois* (BTN+) L 62-66 time in the last six seasons and 17th time in team history. Lindsay Whalen is the fi fth head coach in program 1.9 18/20 at #23/24 Michigan St. (BTN+) L 68-86 history to win at least 20 games in her fi rst season. 1.14 23/20 #22/17 Iowa* (ESPN2) L 63-81 1.17 23/25 at Wisconsin* (BTN+) W 78-50 • Few teams in the country do damage at the free throw line like Minnesota. Entering the postseason, the Gophers 1.20 23/25 at Nebraska* (ESPN2) L 57-63 Kenisha Bell 1.24 RV/RV NR/RV Purdue* (BTN+) L 53-64 ranked 11th in the NCAA in both free throws attempted and free throws made. has been the most 1.28 RV/RV Ohio State* (BTN) L 55-65 prolifi c free throw shooter for the team, ranking seventh in the nation in attempts and 11th in makes entering the 1.31 RV/NR at Northwestern* (BTN+) W 61-54 postseason. In addition, Destiny Pitts was second in the Big Ten in free throw percentage and has made her last 2.3 RV/NR #17/19 Rutgers* (BTN+) W 60-46 27 attempts from the line. 2.6 RV/NR at Indiana* (BTN+) W 65-61 2.10 RV/NR Northwestern* (BTN) Wot 73-64 • Over the last three games, the Gophers are 67-of-71 (94.4 percent) at the free throw line. On March 3 against 2.14 RV/NR at Purdue* (BTN) W 65-45 Michigan State, Minnesota was 31-of-32 (.969) at the line. The 96.9 shooting percentage was the third best in 2.17 RV/NR Penn State* (BTN) W 97-67 program history (min. 10 attempts), while the 31 made free throws matched a season high and tied for the ninth 2.21 RV/NR at #8/9 Maryland* (BTN+) L 69-71 most in program history. Against Indiana on March 7 in the Big Ten Tournament, Minnesota set a school record by 2.28 RV/NR at RV/RV Rutgers* (BTN) L 54-60 making all 17 of its attempts. It was the most makes without a miss at the line in program history and tied for the 3.3 RV/NR NR/RV Michigan St.* (BTN+) W 82-63 fi fth best mark in Big Ten history. B1G Tournament (Indianapolis) 3.7 NR/NR vs. Indiana (BTN) L 58-66 MINNESOTA PROJECTED STARTERS WNIT No. Name Pos. Yr. Pts. Reb. Ast. Min. Note 3.22 NR/NR Northern Iowa (BTN+) W 91-75 3 Destiny Pitts G/F So. 16.5 4.0 2.3 34.6 21+ pts. in 8 straight games; 1st Team All-B1G (media) 3.24 NR/NR at Cincinnati (BearcatsTV) 2 p.m. 5 Taiye Bello F Jr. 9.7 12.0 1.0 31.0 Holds school record with 151 offensive rebs. this year Home games in bold | All times CT * - Big Ten Conference game 12 Mercedes Staples G Fr. 3.3 1.1 1.0 14.0 Career-high 14 pts. in 1st round vs. Northern Iowa AP/Coaches Poll Rankings as of day of game 23 Kenisha Bell G R-Sr. 18.9 5.9 4.4 34.7 Consensus First-Team All-B1G pick (media/coaches) 31 Irene Garrido Perez G Sr. 3.3 1.3 1.1 21.7 Career-high 16 points (4-6 on 3’s) vs. Penn State (2/17) 2018-19 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS 2 3 5 11 12 20 Barbora Tomancova Destiny Pitts Taiye Bello Delaynie Byrne Mercedes Staples Kehinde Bello 6-2 • F/C • Fr. 5-10 • G/F • So. 6-2 • F • Jr. 6-2 • F • Fr. 5-10 • G • Fr. 6-2 • F • Jr. Brno, Czech Republic Detroit, Mich. Southfi eld, Mich. Arvada, Colo. Centerville, Utah Southfi eld, Mich. 21 23 25 31 34 41 Jasmine Brunson Kenisha Bell Palma Kaposi Irene Garrido Perez Gadiva Hubbard Annalese Lamke 5-8 • G • Jr. 5-9 • G • R-Sr. 6-1 • F • Sr. 6-1 • F • Sr. 5-9 • G • Jr. 6-3 • C • Sr. Queens, N.Y. Minneapolis, Minn. Pecs, Hungary Granada, Spain Virginia Beach, Va. Galesville, Wis. Lindsay Whalen Danielle O’Banion Carly Thibault-DuDonis Kelly Roysland Melissa Maines Head Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Director of Operations First Season First Season First Season First Season First Season Minnesota, ‘04 Boston College, '01 Monmouth, '13 Minnesota, ‘07 Texas Tech, ‘98 2018-19 GOLDEN GOPHER ROSTER ROSTER BREAKDOWN ALPHABETICAL Starters Returning: (3) By Class: No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown/Previous School Kenisha Bell, G, R-Sr. Seniors (4) 23 Kenisha Bell* G 5-9 R-Sr. Minneapolis, Minn. (Marquette) Gadiva Hubbard, G, Jr. Juniors (4) 20 Kehinde Bello F 6-2 Jr. Southfi eld, Mich. (Southfi eld-Lathrup HS) Destiny Pitts, G, So. Sophomores (1) 5 Taiye Bello F 6-2 Jr. Southfi eld, Mich. (Southfi eld-Lathrup HS) Freshman (3) 21 Jasmine Brunson* G 5-8 Jr. Queens, N.Y. (Mary Louis Academy) Letterwinners 11 Delaynie Byrne F 6-2 Fr. Arvada, Colo. (Ralston Valley HS) Returning: (9) By Home: 31 Irene Garrido Perez F 6-1 Sr. Granada, Spain (Western Wyoming CC) Kenisha Bell, G, R-Sr. Michigan (3) 34 Gadiva Hubbard G 5-9 Jr. Virginia Beach, Va. (Princess Anne HS) Kehinde Bello, F, Jr. Colorado (1) 25 Palma Kaposi F 6-1 Sr. Pecs, Hungary (University of Pecs) Taiye Bello, F, Jr. Minnesota (1) 41 Annalese Lamke* C 6-3 Sr. Galesville, Wis. (Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau HS) Jasmine Brunson, G, Jr. New York (1) 3 Destiny Pitts G/F 5-10 So. Detroit, Mich. (Detroit Country Day HS) Irene Garrido Perez, F, Sr. Utah (1) 12 Mercedes Staples G 5-10 Fr. Centerville, Utah (Viewmont HS) Gadiva Hubbard, G, Jr. Virginia (1) 2 Barbora Tomancova F/C 6-2 Fr. Brno, Czech Republic (SGLD Brno) Palma Kaposi, F, Sr. Wisconsin (1) *- Team Captain Annalese Lamke, C, Sr. Czech Republic (1) Pronunciation Guide Destiny Pitts, G/F, Fr.