How Gophers women's basketball is working to turn season around in Big Ten's second half

It was a good time for a break.

The last time the Gophers women's basketball team played was at Purdue on Jan. 21, a difficult afternoon at Mackey Arena where Minnesota struggled mightily to make shots in a 75-56 loss. The Gophers (9-11, 2-7 Big Ten) reached the midway point of the conference schedule with their worst offensive game of the season.

But they had a week to both think about it and do something about it. Coach Lindsay Whalen gave her team a couple of days off. Then one full practice was focused on defense, particularly in transition. Another was targeted on the offense, particularly setting good screens, cutting hard off of them.

"Just continuing to figure out different sets and situations for different people," Whalen said. "I think when we move the ball and cut hard, especially around Rose [Gophers center Rose Micheaux], we're a tough offensive team. There were some good possessions we got in the second half at Purdue."

Last week showed the ups and downs, both characteristic of the Big Ten this season and of the Gophers' young team.

In a victory at Penn State, the Gophers shot 50% from the field. Days later at Purdue, they shot below 30% (27.5) for the first time this season, making 19 of 69 shots. Their total points and 19 made field goals were season lows.

That's a big reason for the Gophers' self-scout; they didn't start focusing on 13th-ranked Michigan — Sunday's opponent at Williams Arena — until Friday.

"We obviously didn't make a lot of shots," freshman guard Amaya Battle said. "Shooting was a problem. But that can happen in the game of basketball. I think we need to keep working on taking care of the ball. That Purdue game, I think me and Katie [Borowicz] only had two turnovers. We have to keep that up, build on it and work on our transition defense."

Defensively, the Gophers are doing a better job in the half court, but they need to improve their transition defense. It's true that Battle and Borowicz — the team's primary ballhandlers — had only two turnovers against Purdue and that the Gophers committed just 13 overall. But the Boilermakers turned those into a 20-2 edge on points off turnovers.

On offense, the Gophers worked on taking advantage of all the attention Micheaux is getting. Other teams have doubled Micheaux, but Purdue came with that double very quickly, forcing some turnovers. The Gophers have worked on her popping the ball back outside when that double comes quickly, resulting either in open shots or the opportunity for Micheaux to re-post.

"They were certainly very physical," Whalen said of the way Purdue defended Micheaux. "More doubling right away. We worked on that."

The effort is one thing that has remained constant for a team that has four freshmen and two sophomores among its top seven rotation players. That won't change.

"We have to stay together," Battle said. "We're still growing. When it hit the Big Ten season it was definitely different. I'd say we're still learning."

Said Borowicz: "We knows the season isn't over. Even if there was just one game left, we'd be striving for something."