Historic defensive effort propels Gophers women over George Washington

The Gophers women's basketball team had a rather historic day at Williams Arena on Sunday.

The offense was challenged but the defense was challenging — historically so. The Gophers scored the second-fewest points in Lindsay Whalen's three-plus years as coach, but still won going away. Which is why, half-full or half-empty, Whalen was being pragmatic after Minnesota's 48-32 nonconference win over George Washington.

"The win," she said. "The win. That's what we focused on."

The Gophers (2-1) won their second game in a row after a season-opening loss to Jacksonville. Sunday's game was Minnesota's third in six days, and that includes an overtime victory at Arizona State on Friday night, which was followed by an immediate flight home and a short turnaround before Sunday's 2 p.m. start.

So, the win.

"They earned a much deserved day off [Monday], and we'll get back to it Tuesday, and we play again Wednesday evening," Whalen said.

Historic?

The 32 points the Colonials scored is the sixth-fewest allowed in Gophers history, and the fewest since the mid-1970s, the nascent stages of the program when the schedule was filled with the likes of St. Teresa's, St. Catherine's, Mankato State, Minnesota Duluth and Wisconsin-River Falls. George Washington shot 10-for-52 overall, a 19.1% clip that was the worst ever by a Gophers opponent.

And the Gophers needed all of that.

Because Minnesota, while scoring just 48 points, shot just 18-for-57 (31.6%), made six of 26 three-pointers and committed 16 turnovers.

BOXSCORE: Gophers 48, George Washington 32

But there were mitigating factors.

Kadi Sissoko scored the team's first seven points and had nine points and nine rebounds in nine minutes of playing time when she took a blow to the face under the George Washington basket with 8:29 left in the third quarter and did not return; her status for Wednesday's game with American — a team that lost to George Washington — is unclear. Seconds later, Sara Scalia hit a three-pointer to put the Gophers up 21-8. The Gophers offense lost efficiency without Sissoko.

But there were bright spots. Grad transfer Deja Winters scored 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting to go with eight rebounds, three blocks and three assists. Her role — and her impact — continue to rise.

"As soon as I got here my teammates [had] open arms,'' Winters said. "They made me comfortable.''

Scalia, meanwhile, hit three of the team's six three-pointers and scored 14 points. Scalia, a junior, has scored in double figures in 16 straight games dating back to last season.

There were other bright spots. After getting 53 rebounds in overtime Friday — the second-most in Whalen's tenure — the Gophers got another 46 Sunday, 12 on the offensive end.

And the defense, again, was good from start to finish.

"We came into the game just thinking about the scout, what we could do better,'' Scalia said. "We weren't thinking about getting home late [after the Arizona State game], how much sleep we got. We wanted to come out with a win.''

That said, after a day off Monday, you can bet Whalen and her staff will be working on the offense in practice Tuesday.

"There are things we will clean up," Whalen said. "No question we'll look at the offensive stuff. But that's for tomorrow. It's the win."