Gophers women’s basketball drops sixth in a row with 81-73 loss at Rutgers

You could hear the frustration in Dawn Plitzuweit’s voice, even on the phone from New Jersey on Tuesday night.

“We’re not disciplined,” the Gophers women’s basketball coach began. And, later: “We’d better figure out how to guard.”

In a must-win game against a last-place team, the Gophers hit a new low.

Up 18-8 after the first quarter at Rutgers, the Gophers were outscored by 20 over the next 15 minutes as the Scarlet Knights took a lead they never lost in an 81-73 victory.

Rutgers (8-19 overall, 2-12 Big Ten) entered the game having lost 14 of 15 games and was one of the most offensively challenged teams in the conference.

But not on Tuesday.

Rutgers made only two of its first 13 shots while falling behind by 10 after the first quarter. They went 22-for-37 the rest of the way. Their 81 points was the Scarlet Knights’ most in a conference game this season, as was their 28 free-throw attempts and their 26 free throws made.

The loss — the sixth in a row for the Gophers (14-10, 4-9) — came despite a wonderful game from freshman Grace Grocholski and a strong one from center Sophie Hart.

Grocholski scored 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting, making an incredible seven of 12 three-pointers. Hart scored 17 points with seven rebounds.

As Plitzuweit said, without injured leader Mara Braun, getting 73 points is about as good as the Gophers are going to do. Still, Grocholski and Hard needed help. The rest of the team shot a combined 11-for-40 and scored 33 points. Point guard Amaya Battle had 10 assists and eight rebounds, but shot 3-for-13. Mallory Heyer had 12 points and eight boards, but was 4-for-11. Janay Sanders, who had averaged better than 17 points since starting for Braun, scored eight on 2-for-11 shooting.

“We don’t do the little things very well,” Plitzuweit said. “We just aren’t disciplined. We’re giving them post touches. We foul.”

BOXSCORE: Rutgers 81, Gophers 73

Big Ten basketball standings

Rutgers got a career-high 25 points from Mya Petticord, who hit four of seven threes and nine of 10 free throws. Destiny Adams scored 21, going 9-for-9 on free throws to go with 10 rebounds.

The glaring stat: Rutgers got to the line 28 times and made 26. The Gophers went 16 times and made eight. In the four games since Braun — one of the best free-throw shooters in the conference — got hurt, the Gophers have gone 35-for-65 (53.8%) on free throws.

Tuesday they Gophers made more field goals than Rutgers, made more three-pointers. But they were outscored 26-8 from the free-throw line. Minnesota lost by eight and missed eight free throws.

The two teams combined for 18 turnovers in the first quarter. But the Gophers played such good defense, their 10 turnovers didn’t matter. Minnesota got 11 of 18 first-quarter points off Rutgers turnovers.

Things quickly changed. Starting with the second quarter and halfway into the third, Rutgers outscored Minnesota 35-15. Rutgers made 12 of 22 shots in that time, the Gophers six of 21. Erica Lafayette’s fast-break pull-up three put the Scarlet Knights up 43-33 with 5:16 left in the third quarter.

What changed? “I wish I knew,” Plitzuweit said. “I wish I knew. I don’t know. It was as if their attack was different.”

The Gophers pulled within 52-48 by the end of the third quarter.

Twice the Gophers got within two in the fourth, the first time on Hart’s basket with 6:43 left, the second on Grocholski’s three-pointer to make it 62-60 with 5:44 left.

But Rutgers went on a 9-2 run over the next two minutes, with Adams scoring the final six points, putting the Scarlet Knights up 71-62 with 3:51 left.

As Plitzuweit said, the only thing the coaches and players can do is get back to work. The Gophers play host to Northwestern on Saturday at Williams Arena.

“Getting stops will be critical,” she said. “Making free throws will be important for us. We have to defend.”

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.