B1G Game 11: Gophers Host Purdue February 1, 2 PM

[EaganGopher22]

From Purdue Website:

Over all 11-10 .524 Conf. 3-7 .300 Streak L1 Home 10-3 Away 1-7

LAST TIME OUT
The Boilermakers dropped an 86-65 decision to No. 13 Michigan State on Thursday night. Purdue competed throughout the contest, finishing the game on a 30-13 run. Avery Gordon led the Boilermakers in scoring with a career-high 20 points.

NOTES
• Avery Gordon made the most of her first career start, going for a career-high 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting and matching her career best of six rebounds in 17 minutes of work.
• Gordon was the first Purdue freshman since Dominique McBryde in 2015-16 to tally 20 points with a field goal clip of 80% or better.
• Over her last four games, Gordon is averaging 13 points at a blistering 84.6% clip and 1.3 block per game over her last four outings. Prior to her first miss on Thursday, Gordon had made 12 straight field goals dating back to the USC game. Gordon is at 34.8 points per 40 minutes since Jan. 18.
• Gordon is the only player in the country over the last two weeks to score 50 or more points at an 80% shooting clip.
• Madison Layden-Zay powered the late run for the Boilermakers, connecting on four of her career-high six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The fifth year's Purdue career record now sits at 253 triples, while ranking 10th on the career charts with a 3-point percentage of 35.4%.
• After her fourth game of 40 minutes or more this year, she ranks fourth with 36.7 minutes played per Big Ten game.
• Hila Karsh has found her outside touch in the last two games with six 3-pointers. The freshman posted back-to-back double figure games against Indiana (12) and Michigan State (10) to take her tally to nine on the year.
• In the first year of her career playing guard, Tara Daye is one of four Big Ten guards averaging better than 12 (12.1) points and 6.5 (6.8) rebounds per game this season.
• Leading Purdue in rebounding 10 times this season, Daye ranks fourth among Big Ten guards in rebounds per game and tied for second with five double-doubles.
• Nya Smith is third on the team in scoring in Big Ten play with 9.0 points per game. After averaging 3.9 points in non-conference action, Smith has tallied 10.2 points over her last six outings with a trio of double-digit performances.
• Purdue's bench has given it a lift this season, averaging 24.2 points per game, good for sixth in the Big Ten, and tallying 20 points or more in 13 games this season.
• The Boilermakers have spread out the responsibility this season with eight different players leading a game in scoring, eight in rebounding, eight in assists, 11 in steals and 10 in blocks.
• Purdue is 18-1 since the start of last year when scoring 70 or more points and 9-1 this season.

 

[TruthSeeker]

This is a should win and must win game.

 

[EaganGopher22]

Gophers' website pregame:​

Gophers Return Home to Face Purdue on National Girls and Women in Sports Day Game​

Minnesota (15-6, 6-4 Big Ten) vs. Purdue (11-10, 3-7 Big Ten)
Stream: B1G+
Tip Time: 2 p.m. CT
Radio: KFAN+ 96.7 FM, and the iHeartRadio app (Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist)
Location: Williams Arena
Promotions: National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Parking: Due to a number of events on campus this weekend, fans are encouraged to purchase a parking pass in advance here. Individuals arriving on campus without a parking pass are encouraged to park in Lot 37, Maroon Lot, Gold Lot, or Ski-U-Mah Lot.

STARTING FIVE

• The Golden Gophers return to Williams Arena on Sunday afternoon to face the Purdue Boilermakers. Last season, Minnesota defeated Purdue 74-61 at Mackey Arena.
• The Maroon and Gold look to extend their three-game conference winning streak after victories over Oregon (65-60), Wisconsin (88-53) and Penn State (87-66).
• For the second consecutive game, Minnesota had four players score in double figures, led by Tori McKinney with 23 points and Mara Braun with 22. Battle and Hart added 12 points apiece.
• Minnesota shot 51.5% from the field and 45.5% from 3-point range. It marked the fourth time this season the Gophers reached those marks, including a program-record two consecutive games shooting better than 50% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc. It is the most times Minnesota has hit those percentages in a season since 2018.
• The win over Penn State marked just the 10th game in program history in which Minnesota shot better than 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range and 90% from the free throw line. The Gophers also achieved the mark twice earlier this season against Wyoming. It was the first time since 2018 Minnesota reached those benchmarks.
• Despite recording its fewest field-goal attempts of the season, Minnesota shot a season-high 59.3% (32 of 54) from the field and 56.3% (9 of 16) from 3-point range against Wisconsin. The field-goal percentage was the highest under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. The Gophers also totaled 21 assists on 32 made field goals.
• Battle and Grocholski look to continue their double-figure scoring streaks this week. Battle has scored in double figures in four straight games, including a season-high 20 points against Oregon.

PURDUE SERIES HISTORY

• Purdue leads the all-time series 48-26, including a 22-14 mark at Williams Arena and a 26-10 record at Mackey Arena. The Gophers lead at neutral sites, 2-0.
• Minnesota has won the last three meetings and earned its first road win in the series since 2020 last season.
• In that win, Grace Grocholski led the Gophers with 27 points, followed by Sophie Hart with 22 and Amaya Battle with 11.

WHERE THEY RANK

• Minnesota is ranked No. 13 in the NET and is one of 10 Big Ten teams in the top 25. The Gophers also received one vote in this week's AP Top 25 and three votes in the WBCA USA Today Coaches Poll.
• Minnesota leads the nation with 11 games holding opponents to 50 points or fewer. No other team has more than 10 such games, and the next-closest Big Ten teams are UCLA and Maryland with seven.
• The Gophers' 1.58 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks sixth nationally and second in the Big Ten.
• Minnesota's scoring defense allows 54.8 points per game, ranking No. 10 nationally and first in the conference.
• The Maroon and Gold rank No. 2 nationally and first in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers per game, averaging 10.4.

MCKINNEY MAGIC

• Tori McKinney recorded back-to-back 20-point games. She scored 23 points against Penn State on Wednesday after posting 20 against Wisconsin last Sunday.
• It marked the first time a Gopher scored 20 or more points in consecutive games since Mara Braun did so against Purdue (21 points on Dec. 10, 2023) and Grambling (26 points on Dec. 13, 2023).
• Against the Nittany Lions, McKinney set a career high threes made in a game, going 5-7.

THE ORIGINAL G-MONEY

• This season, Grace Grocholski leads Minnesota with 288 points and averages 13.7 points per game.
• The guard-forward is shooting 51.7% from the field, 47.7% from 3-point range and 77.3% from the free throw line. She is one of two Big Ten players to post those numbers, along with Nebraska's Britt Prince.
• The guard-forward has 204 career made 3-pointers, ranking No. 8 all time in Minnesota program history.
• Grocholski ranks second nationally and leads the Big Ten in 3-point percentage.
• She also ranks fifth in the conference in 3-pointers made (53) and fifth in the Big Ten in 3-pointers made per game (2.52).
• Grocholski ranks second on the Gophers' roster with 55 assists.
• Against No. 7 Maryland, Grocholski knocked down a career-high nine 3-pointers on her way to a career-best 31 points, tying for the second-most 3-pointers made in a single game in program history.

BATTLE TIME

• Amaya Battle is one of only two active NCAA players with more than 1,000 career points, 600 career rebounds and 500 career assists.
• Battle has recorded 1,367 points, 676 rebounds and 560 assists. Olivia Miles is the only other player to reach those marks.
• Along with Battle, Rachel Banham is the only other Golden Gopher to record at least 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, and 500 assists
• Battle ranks third all time in career assists in Minnesota's record book. She is 19 away from surpassing Lindsay Whalen (578) and being No. 2 all-time.

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