Gophers junior Rachel Banham was a unanimous All-Big Ten women's basketball first-team selection by both the coaches and media, while teammate Amanda Zahui B. was a first-team media selection and voted freshman of the year on both teams.
Gophers Banham, Zahui B. earn all-conference honors
Banham, who led the Big Ten with an average of 22.4 points overall and 23.3 points in conference play, was joined as a unanimous selection on both teams by Penn State's Maggie Lucas and Nebraska's Jordan Hooper. Hooper was selected player of the year by coaches, Lucas by the media.
Banham was a first-team selection for the second consecutive season. She is the first Gopher since Carol Ann Shudlick in 1993 to lead the Big Ten in scoring in conference play.
Zahui B., who led the league in rebounding (11.3 per game) and averaged 15.1 points, was named All-Big Ten second team by the coaches. She also was chosen to the All-Big Ten defensive team.
Northwestern freshman Nia Coffey, a Hopkins High School alumnus, was a first-team coaches' selection and second-team media. She also made the league's all-freshman team.
The Gophers (19-11, 8-8) open Big Ten tournament play at 8 p.m. Thursday against Wisconsin (10-18, 3-13) in Indianapolis.
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Center Dawson Garcia played despite a groin injury, and starting guard Mike Mitchell Jr. and four others were absent for the Gophers. Among the results: a 14-point first half.