Big Ten women's basketball preview: Gophers vs. Indiana
March 7, 2019 at 11:56AM
vs. Indiana, 5:30 p.m. • BTN, 96.7-FM
U needing a run in Indy
Gophers update: Minnesota (20-9) has a bit of momentum heading into the conference tournament, having ended the regular season with 82-63 victory over Michigan State on Sunday that secured the seventh seed in the conference tournament. The Gophers beat 10th-seeded Indiana in Bloomington 65-61 on Feb. 6. F Kenisha Bell had 22 points and seven rebounds in that game. Destiny Pitts had 17. Pitts has scored 20 or more points in six consecutive games. F Taiye Bello had her 11th double-double Sunday. The Gophers are 95th in the RPI, so a run to the tournament championship is likely the only way the team can reach the NCAA field.
Hoosiers update: The Feb. 6 loss to the Gophers was the start of a four-game losing streak for Indiana. The Hoosiers (18-11) rebounded to win two of their past three games, including an impressive 75-73 victory over Iowa and a 73-51 home victory over Purdue on Sunday. The Hoosiers are led by G Ali Patberg (15.5 ppg); G Jaelynn Penn (14.0), who has scored in double figures in 18 straight games; and F Brenna Wise (12.1). Indiana, 50th in the RPI, has plenty to play for, with two victories perhaps being enough to secure the Hoosiers in the NCAA field.
Kent Youngblood
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Minnesota’s bench scored 50 points, including a team-leading 18 points from graduate transfer Annika Stewart, showcasing the depth that coach Dawn Plitzuweit promised.
