Said Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen, "She willed us to win."
First, the numbers: Bello finished with 22 rebounds, 19 free throws attempted and 15 made. All were career highs. She also had 19 points, four blocks and three assists.
And now the drama: Bello hit two free throws with 3.7 seconds left in regulation to tie the score and force the first overtime. She had a put-back of Jasmine Powell's miss with 34 seconds left in the first OT to force a second. Then she scored five points with three rebounds in the second OT. All five points came from the line, including three after she was fouled heaving up a desperation three-pointer with the shot clock winding down with 3:17 left. Bello had never attempt a three-pointer in her first 112 college games.
Indeed, on a day dominated by defense, the Gophers prevailed without hitting a field goal in the final OT, because they held Rutgers to 3-for-16 shooting with two turnovers in the two overtimes.
"That's all heart and determination," Whalen said of her team's defense, which never flagged, even in the face of occasional offensive dysfunction. "Without that, we're not sitting here with the win tonight."
Freshman guard Powell tied for the team lead with 19 points. She was forced to play 46½ minutes, including the final 30 with Brunson hurt. And that meant facing Rutgers' fearsome full-court press. Gadiva Hubbard scored 11 of her 17 points in the fourth quarter, when the Gophers came back from seven down to force OT.