Gophers sophomore Rose Micheaux blossoms amid team's struggle

A couple hours before every game, the members of the Gophers women's basketball team make their way onto the court. They stretch, shoot — usually in a group, together.

Often, though, without Rose Micheaux.

The sophomore center is often by herself, headphones on, music playing. Her best preparation comes when she's alone.

"It's just me and my music," Micheaux said. "It's me talking to myself, mentally. I feel it's better when I'm by myself. I'll be at half court, I'll go through my post moves. I'll say, 'You got this.' I imagine different scenarios."

This has been a difficult season for a young Gophers team that starts three freshmen and two sophomores. Minnesota is 9-13 overall, 2-9 in the Big Ten Conference entering Sunday's game at Illinois. Youth has taken its lumps while gaining experience.

But there are some signs of improvement, especially with Micheaux, whose willingness to work and focus have started showing, her single-minded focus bearing some fruit.

"She loves film," associate head coach Shimmy Gray-Miller said. "She probably watches more film than any post player I've ever coached. She watches on her own. I send her clips and she watches. That's just her level of commitment."

The 6-3 Micheaux, from Wayne, Mich., has made a big sophomore leap. She appeared in 30 games last season, with 16 starts. She averaged 4.7 points and 4.1 rebounds. Especially early on, Micheaux was prone to traveling when doing her post moves, and she struggled to avoid foul trouble.

This year Micheaux is second on the team in scoring (14.2). She is getting 8.3 rebounds per game, fourth in the Big Ten, and is shooting 51.0%, eighth in the conference. She has scored in double figures in 18 of 22 games and has eight double-doubles.

"One thing I really honed in on after last year was being someone who could be impactful on the game," she said. "It's consistency."

Both in play and attitude. By her own admission, Micheaux would sometimes let disappointing play or foul trouble affect her as a freshman. She has worked hard to change that.

The results are good. This left-handed post player has cut down on the travels, pushed up her scoring. At one point this season she scored in double figures in nine straight games, a stretch culminated by her career day at Penn State on Jan. 18. She had 31 points with 14 rebounds, making 14 of 18 shots.

She credits Gray-Miller.

"She and my parents told me that if I do my work early, I don't have to do so much when I get the ball," she said. "It feels really good, seeing myself taking little steps forward, getting little victories that really matter. It makes me happy, and to see my teammates behind me makes me feel 10 times better."

There are more steps to be taken. Since that Penn State game, double- and triple-teams have come more often, and more quickly. After the Penn State game, Purdue held her to two points, but she still grabbed a career-high 15 boards. She had 15 points and eight rebounds against Michigan, then a 12-point, 11-rebound game against Indiana.

But further growth is needed. The added attention has pushed up her turnover totals. She has to hone her skill at popping the ball back out when the double comes, and do it quickly.

"It's pretty intense," Micheaux said. "I have to take my time and slow the game down so I can figure out the best option. Who's in my window so I can kick it out. What's the best move to make. What's the best thing to do with the situation I'm in."

This is the next phase.

"We just have to keep working on it," Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen said. "They're going to be physical; they'll be after her. We have to make sure we're helping her with those reads."

Having seen Micheaux's growth so far, Gray-Miller is confident it will continue.

"She has only been playing basketball for six years," Gray-Miller said. "The most exciting thing about her is how quickly she has gotten to this level.''

Micheaux has a plan, both on and off the court. A talented hair artist, she has started what amounts to a cottage industry at the U. She does the hair for teammates Nia Holloway, Mi'Cole Cayton, sometimes Amaya Battle. She does hair for some of the players on the Gophers men's basketball team and a number of football players.

She eventually wants to start her own business, with her own hair products.

Last summer Micheaux was one of 100 Big Ten athletes who took a conference-sponsored trip to Selma and Montgomery, Ala., to learn about the history of the Civil Rights movement. At Big Ten media days she talked about the impact that had on her.

Micheaux designed the warmup shirts the Gophers will wear to commemorate Black History Month. Home fans will see those shirts at the home game vs. Nebraska Feb. 15.

So the growth continues.

"As she has matured as a woman, she has matured on the court," Gray-Miller said.