Gophers’ depth, defense and turnover ratio have helped fuel 5-0 start

Sunday in Tempe, Ariz., playing SMU — a Southwest Conference team — the Gophers women’s basketball team had season-lows in shooting percentage (31.1%), three-point shooting (17.9%) and points (65) in a Briann January Classic game.

And they won 65-56, improving to 5-0.

This is progress. No, Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit is not thrilled with the team’s struggles shooting the ball, but she’s convinced that will come. She was not happy with the team’s 5-for-28 showing on three-pointers.

But the Gophers were still able to beat a quality opponent by doing other things:

• Turning 21 offensive rebounds into a 22-2 edge on second-chance points.

• Turning 18 SMU turnovers (the Gophers had just seven) into a 17-4 edge in that department.

• By getting another strong performance from the bench, which outscored the starters 38-27.

The Gophers take their 5-0 record back to Williams Arena for another non-conference game Wednesday against a winless Eastern Illinois team.

This season’s version of the Gophers is still a work in progress. There are areas — especially on offense — that will have to improve as the Big Ten schedule approaches. But here are three reasons why the team has improved from last season:

A number of new faces who came to the Gophers both from the high school ranks and via the NCAA transfer portal have had a big impact.

Through five games, Annika Stewart — a grad transfer from Nebraska — has led the team in scoring three times, including both wins in Tempe. Gophers reserves are outscoring the starters, shooting better than the starters. Stewart (13.2 points per game) is second to Mara Braun (13.6) on the team, and Taylor Woodson — a transfer from Michigan — is third at 10.6. Part of this is due to the one-sided nature of some of these games, but it’s a clear sign of a deeper roster.

Plitzuweit said the reserves have done a good job of being ready when they’re subbed in. “They see what’s going on,” Plitzuweit said. “Then, when they get into the game, they’re able to make adjustments to what they’ve seen, more so on the defensive side of things.”

The Gophers are tied for sixth in Division I in scoring defense (46.2 points per game) and are 51st in field goal defense (34.6%). And they’re doing it without fouling. Their 11.6 fouls per game average are fourth-best in the country.

In the two games in Tempe — victories over Oregon State and SMU — the Gophers held the two opponents to 14 points in the fourth quarter. They held OSU to two fourth-quarter points in a one-sided victory and outscored SMU 23-12 in the fourth after trailing 44-42 after three quarters.

“Good teams can make tough shots,” Plitzuweit said. “But if you make them tough shots all game long, it becomes a challenge.”

The offense may not be clicking to the extent Plitzuweit expects, but the Gophers are taking care of the ball. They’re averaging just eight turnovers a game, second-best in the nation, and are third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.95). That sort of ball security goes a long way toward mitigating shooting problems. And when they miss? Minnesota is tied for 28th in the nation and third in the Big Ten in offensive rebounds per game (16.8).

Plitzuweit said a lot of that’s because it’s an experienced team. The Gophers averaged 17.7 turnovers a game two seasons ago, 13.5 last season.

“Our players understand at a higher level what we’re looking for, what to expect,” she said. “The value of the basketball is something this group — because they understand it better — is doing a really good job of.”

7 p.m., Wednesday vs. Eastern Illinois at Williams Arena

Streamed on B1G+; Radio: 103.5 FM, 1130 AM