Saturday at Williams Arena, freshman forward Mallory Heyer had the best game of her young career and point guard Amaya Battle set the Gophers women's basketball freshman record for assists in a season (109 and counting).
Turnover-prone Gophers women's basketball loses 76-70 to Wisconsin in overtime
Saturday afternoon's loss, in which Wisconsin scored 26 points off 24 Minnesota turnovers, was the Gophers' sixth in a row.
February 12, 2023 at 4:25AM
But to Heyer, it meant little. For Battle, mainly frustration.
For the Gophers: Another loss, in overtime, 76-70 to Wisconsin.
Heyer scored 28 points and had 15 rebounds. She made five of seven three-pointers, including a three in overtime that tied the game at 68. But she was the only Gophers player to hit a field goal after the third quarter.
Battle? Ten points and 10 assists. But she also had seven of the Gophers' 24 turnovers.
It has been the story of the season for the young Gophers (9-16, 2-12 Big Ten), who lost their sixth straight game.
There were other issues:
How Wisconsin was able to trap the ball out of Battle's hands late. How anyone not named Heyer struggled to make shots in the final quarter and overtime, a 15-minute stretch in which Heyer scored 19 of the team's final 22 points. Or the Gophers' going 15-for-22 on free throws; a few more crucial makes and overtime might not have been necessary.
But, again, it was the turnovers.
"I mean, 24 turnovers,'' coach Lindsay Whalen said. "Obviously taking care of it is something we talked about all year. When we've done it, we've given ourselves a chance to win. No matter what we have to take better care of the ball.''
The game was tight throughout. Eight was the biggest lead, by Wisconsin, late in the OT. There were 11 lead changes, 14 ties.
When Battle fed Heyer for a three-pointer with 1:48 left in regulation, the Gophers led by five, only to be outscored 19-8 the rest of the game. At the other end, Brooke Schrank (20 points) hit a three with 1:35 left. Battle hit one of two free throws with 44 seconds to put the Gophers up three only to have Maty Wilke answer with a three to tie it. Heyer's two free throws with 38 seconds left put the Gophers up two, but Julie Pospililova (22 points) tied it with 30 seconds left. Battle came up short on a last-second drive, forcing overtime.
Playing without center Rose Micheaux, who fouled out late in the fourth, the Gophers opened OT with a missed shot, two missed free throws and three turnovers. After Heyer scored to tie it, Wisconsin put the game away with an 8-0 run.
It was Heyer's career high in both points and rebounds, and her fifth double-double.
"For me I don't think it means anything, because we didn't win the game,'' she said. "That's always the main focus, winning. So, for me, I'm not really walking away with much. I mean, it gives me a little confidence. But, ultimately, I want to win.''
Mara Braun scored 15 points for the Gophers, but scored just two points in the second half.
Battle broke a record set by Joan Kowalsky in the 1977-78 season for assists by a freshman. But after the game she was disappointed by the turnovers; she's averaging five over her past four games.
"It's obviously frustrating when you want to achieve something and you're not getting there,'' she said. "So it's definitely frustrating that I can't keep the turnovers down.''
Minnesota built a 21-0 lead and held off a brief surge by the Badgers to finish the regular season at 7-5. Wisconsin fell to 5-7, ending its 22-year streak of gaining bowl eligibility.
