Wagner will likely make an immediate impact on the Gophers next season.
Carlie Wagner, a senior guard for New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, is averaging 33.1 points per game this season. She signed with Minnesota in the early signing period.
Wagner attracted the attention of many basketball fans after she scored a state tournament record 50 points to lead New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva to a 60-59 victory over Braham in the Class 2A championship last March. She made 21 of 43 shots and added 12 rebounds and three steals.
Wagner broke tournament records for most points in a game (50), most tournament points (129), most field-goal attempts in a game (43), most tournament field-goal attempts (110) and most field goals made (48). She also tied the record for most field goals made in a game (21). Wagner broke her own scoring record, set in 2012 when she scored 48 points.
Wagner’s twin then-eighth grade sisters, Maddie and Marnie, scored eight of NRHEG’s other 10 points in the championship win.
Gopher Hole caught up with Wagner Saturday after the Panthers defeated Minneapolis Washburn 87-77 as Wagner scored 34 points to learn more about her senior year and becoming a Gopher in 2014-15.
Gopher Hole: You played very well today, despite having some foul difficulties. I know that you are a competitive person. How tough was it to not be on the floor?
Carlie Wagner: It was super tough. I was frustrated. I think that it was a good thing for us though. because when I was out of the game, it shows that we have so much depth and that people stepped up and learned to play roles that they are not used to, so I think that it was actually probably a good thing that I got into foul trouble.
Gopher Hole: Watching you play twice this season, it is obvious that your opponents know who you are and are pretty physical with you. Is that ever frustrating for you?
Carlie Wagner: Sometimes. I usually just figure that it doesn’t matter to me. I am just going to try break no matter what I can do. I got double teamed everywhere I went tonight. I was frustrated for a little bit, but once we started getting some people open and the lane started opening up for me to starting driving, so it worked out good.
Gopher Hole: How pleased are you with the team’s play? You are 14-0 and ranked #1 in the state in Class AA.
Carlie Wagner: Very pleased. I thought that we stepped up huge tonight. We have been starting off a little slow, but we came out with fire tonight and played really well and I think that we made a statement tonight that we are still the same team we were last year.
Gopher Hole: Washburn, a Class AAA school had a really good player, Chase Coley, who is going to Iowa and had 49 points Do you like playing those little bit bigger schools that will hopefully get you ready for a strong run in the playoffs?
Carlie Wagner: Definitely. It gets us ready for the playoffs because now that is kind of the last difficult team that we play for a while and I thought that it was a really good matchup and Chase just really went off tonight. She had a great game and it was a lot of fun.
Gopher Hole: You have been to the state tournament the last two years and won the title last season? What are the expectations for this year?
Carlie Wagner: Just get there. Don’t worry about it until it is time. Just play our season the way that we do and when playoff time comes around, just play how we usually play and hope that we get there.
Gopher Hole: You signed with Minnesota in the fall. You had been committed to quite so time, but is it nice to have that doe with?
Carlie Wagner: Yes. It is nice. A lot less pressure. It is just nice knowing that you know where you are going and it is done and you don’t have to worry about it anymore. You can just focus on basketball.
Gopher Hole: Coach Borton was at your other game that I watched you play in at the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic. Is that nice to see her on the sideline and did you know that she was coming to the game?
Carlie Wagner: They told me that they were coming. I feel like I play better when they are there because I feel like I have to step up and play and show them what I can do, so I like it when they come.
Gopher Hole: What things are you working on your game to continue to improve and hopefully be ready to step in as a freshman?
Carlie Wagner: Just sharpen everything. My threes are a little off right now. They’ll come back, but just sharpen every skill I have. Get bigger and stronger for next year.
Gopher Hole: You are getting a chance to play with your twin sisters again who are freshman now. What is that experience like?
Carlie Wagner: It is awesome. They are young and they are learning, but they are really good ball players and they catch on quick and they have stepped up huge for this year.
Gopher Hole: You had told me that you really look up to Rachel Banham. What are you hoping will happen next year? I know that she will only be there one more season, but I think that you are a combination that would work well together
Carlie Wagner: I just hope that we have a really good chemistry and work well together and we find each other and Amanda and everyone involved. Just a great season, I guess.
Gopher Hole: You are one of five players who signed with Minnesota. Benidle St. Margaret guard Grace Coughlin, who you know well from AAU is the other Minnesota player to sign with the homestate school. Have you talked a lot about becoming college teammates?
Carlie Wagner: Oh, yes. We got really close during AAU. I didn’t know her very well before, but now I know her really well and we are close. I am excited to be a teammate with her.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to catch a game at Williams Arena yet this season?
Carlie Wagner: Not yet, Hopefully, next week some time we will be able to catch a game.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to watch them on TV?
Carlie Wagner: Oh, yes. I watched the Nebraska game a couple of nights ago and that was intense. I was screaming in my living room sitting there talking to TV the whole time. People probably thought I was half-crazy in my house.
Gopher Hole: What have you thought about how they have played so far this year?
Carlie Wagner: I have thought that they have been playing very well. They are improving all the time and they are just fun to watch. They are just such a good three-point shooting team and always very intense on defense. They are just a lot of fun to watch for me.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, Rachel Banham is having an outstanding year and their center, Amanda Zahui B, is playing well. Do you see how you could fit with that team since both of those players will be back next year?
Carlie Wagner: Yes, definitely. Rachel is on fire, like usual and I think that having Amanda step in was huge for them and she is playing a big role and doing really well. I am really excited.
Gopher Hole: Does that get you more excited about how you might feel that you can help this team get to that next level?
Carlie Wagner: Help them and have them help me, because they are going to make me bigger and stronger and helped me learn things that I don’t know yet and make me better than I am right now, so I am looking to them to help me more.
Gopher Hole: I saw that you shook Jeff Jones’ hand after your game. Have you gotten to know him and some of the other non-basketball recruits at Minnesota?
Carlie Wagner: I talked to him before the game. He came up to me and was talking to me and stuff. He is really nice and cool. He said that he is going to the Gophers for football, too and I said “I’ll see you there.” I told him good luck on his game and he seems like a really nice guy.
Gopher Hole: He was Minnesota’s Mr. Football.
Carlie Wagner: I didn’t know that. That is really cool. I just shook Mr. Football’s hand. I didn’t even know it.
Gopher Hole: He might have shaken Ms. Basketball’s hand, too.
Carlie Wagner: It is going to be a good one (race for the top girl’s player in the state) this year. I don’t know.