Game 13: Gophers Host Northwestern (2-13-17)

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Ignatius L Hoops

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There’s not much we don’t know about Northwestern (6-5) who were blown out at Indiana, 66-38. The veteran laden Wildcats are better with Inman (who only played 16 minutes against the Hoosiers). And you can, with a little bit of aggressiveness, get Nia Coffey and Ashley Deary into early foul trouble-something the Hoosiers accomplished. It's Coffey's last appearance at Williams and Scheid's first.

As ThatJanelpick said, Northwestern looked worse losing to IU than Rutgers looked losing to Minnesota. Before traveling to Bloomington, the Wildcats lost at home to the suddenly streaking Penn State, 75-58.


B1G Wins: @Nebraska, 62-58; Purdue, 76-60; Indiana, 80-67; Michigan State, 76-65; @Rutgers, 53-37; Wisconsin, 63-43.

B1G Losses: Ohio State, 94-67; @ Maryland, 96-65; @ Michigan, 80-54; Penn State, 75-58; @ Indiana, 66-38.


Probable Starters:

Amber Jamison: 6’0” G So. (8.1 p/g) (26.1 minutes/game)
Nia Coffey: 6’1” F Sr. (16.5 point/game and 9.9 rebounds/game) (31.5 minutes)
Ashley Deary: 5’4” G Sr. (10.1 p/g) (36.8 minutes)
Lauren Douglas: 6’2” F Sr (9.3 p/g) (29.5 minutes)
Allie Tuttle: 6’4” F/C Sr. (1.7 p/g) (9.7 minutes)


Others:

Christen Inman: 5’10” G Sr. (12.4 p/g) (29.5 minutes)
Abi Scheid: 6’2” F/C Fr. (6.6 p/g) (24.7 minutes)
 

Various reports on Northwestern's effort versus Indiana. May the offensive woes continue...please.

http://www.insidenu.com/2017/2/11/1...-ncaa-tournament-indiana-tyra-buss-nia-coffey

The main problem is clearly the offensive production.Northwestern did a good job of disrupting Indiana’s offensive rhythm in the first half, as it usually does, but the scoring punch that must accompany good defense was absent.

Nia Coffey was 3-for-13 and had just 9 points. Memories of her historic double-double streak seem like a distant fiction. Lauren Douglas, perhaps showing signs of fatigue having been out for all of last season, was 1-for-7 from the field. Northwestern now appears to be relying on Amber Jamison, a previously unheralded sophomore, to provide much of the team’s offense with Inman limited and Abi Scheid experiencing first-year growing pains. Jamison had 9 points and the team’s only three-pointer (after 11 attempts). It wasn’t even close to enough.


https://dailynorthwestern.com/2017/...ball-slumping-wildcats-fall-66-38-at-indiana/

The Cats’ woes could be traced to the injury suffered by senior guard Christen Inman in NU’s last game against Indiana on Jan. 14. Inman appeared to injure her knee in the game’s final minutes after an opponent fell on her leg, and hasn’t started in any of the following six games, playing just a combined 65 minutes.

Senior forward Nia Coffey’s month-long cold streak persisted, as she led the Cats with just 9 points while going 3-for-13 from the field. Normally NU’s most consistent player, Coffey has averaged 13.6 points per game over the last six matchups — still solid but well below her season average of 19.0.

Additionally, senior guard Ashley Deary couldn’t get much going either. The Texas native tallied just 4 points in Saturday’s loss.
 

Hard to figure out what happens in this game. The Wildcats are coming off a blowout loss to Indiana; the Gophers a blowout win over Rutgers. It seems that Northwestern often hits a swoon at this time of year as they never seem to have much depth and this is the time of the year when teams get tired. Inman appears to be hurt, with diminished minutes in recent games. Coffey and Deary have been trying to carry the team, but that hasn't worked lately, especially when Coffey hasn't shot well. But then again, Coffey wouldn't be the first Minnesota prep player to come into WIlliams as pert of another team and remind us what we're missing. Every time I see Coffey play, I'm reminded what could have been if she'd stayed home. Is Coffey, Banham, and Zahui B had been able to play even one season together, I think they could have gone deep in the NCAA tourney, maybe even a shot at a Final Four appearance. Gophers haven't had anyone to fill the PF position since Shae Kelley. I'm hoping that T. Bello will be able to refine her game to become the player that Shae Kelley was in her final year.
 

tripledouble said:
Hard to figure out what happens in this game. The Wildcats are coming off a blowout loss to Indiana; the Gophers a blowout win over Rutgers. It seems that Northwestern often hits a swoon at this time of year as they never seem to have much depth and this is the time of the year when teams get tired. Inman appears to be hurt, with diminished minutes in recent games. Coffey and Deary have been trying to carry the team, but that hasn't worked lately, especially when Coffey hasn't shot well. But then again, Coffey wouldn't be the first Minnesota prep player to come into WIlliams as pert of another team and remind us what we're missing. Every time I see Coffey play, I'm reminded what could have been if she'd stayed home. Is Coffey, Banham, and Zahui B had been able to play even one season together, I think they could have gone deep in the NCAA tourney, maybe even a shot at a Final Four appearance. Gophers haven't had anyone to fill the PF position since Shae Kelley. I'm hoping that T. Bello will be able to refine her game to become the player that Shae Kelley was in her final year.
Click to expand...

Good time for Wagner to get her shot back to help win the game. Coffey with huge game but as mentioned not enough support from her team. It used to bother me more we did not get her until her brother joined us. Would be fantastic to someday keep all these talented MN players.
 

4-8 now in the B1G with games at MSU ( next ) , home against Purdue, and they finish at Maryland. 2-1 possible. Maybe two wins in the B1G Tournament.
 


That was one tired team of 'Cats. They summoned up an energy shot beginning the second half to erase the 12 point deficit and then the Gophers ground them down. My favorite play of the night? Late in the third quarter, Deary grabbed her jersey and yelled at her bench to get her out. Minnesota cleared out for Brunson who beat Deary's replacement off the dribble to the rim for a layup.

Of note: We had a long string of making one of two free throws. It really was a physical battle. I'm still a little ticked at the referee ruling a Northwestern shot clock violation after the Gophers were dashing off on a 2 on 1 break. He signaled that the Gophers had tapped the ball ahead but not controlled it before buzzer.
 



http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400934487

We've settled into a pretty useful lineup.

Turnovers: Minnesota had 17 and Northwestern 16 (More important, Deary had 8 of the 'Cats turnovers-Minnesota did a good job against her). Northwestern's offense became one dimensional as the game went on.


Minutes Played (Starters in Bold)

39 Wagner
33 Hubbard
30 Bell
29 Tinjum
25 T. Bello
17 Brunson
15 Edwards
11 Hedstrom
1 Starr
 



http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/021317aah.html

Stollings:

On the decision not to play Bryanna Fernstrom tonight...

"She was ready if we chose to sub her in. It's just been scout-based and practice performance-based. She's the next post to go in right now, but the game just didn't allow for that. She is very capable and when she earns the right to be put in a game, we'll certainly put her back out there, but tonight was tough. Taiye [Bello] was playing very well and led us in rebounding with nine. We thought her athleticism would really bode well with the type of players that Northwestern had in the paint area."


On playing a smaller lineup...

"We can't grow to quick. It wasn't as much about their posts as much as they just have tall guards with the except of the point guard, obviously. We weren't so concerned with that because we felt we could take advantage of some things they don't do well offensively. There was a segment in the first quarter where it was a 30 second span and we drew three fouls at the beginning of the game attacking them. Regardless of their size on the perimeter we felt we could go at them."




Jasmine Brunson

Thoughts on driving to the basket...

"My thought was to go out and just have fun. My teammates and coaches give me all the confidence in the world to go out and have fun. That's what I'm trying to do."
 

As solid as Wagner was on offense tonight, I thought it was one of her most effective defensive efforts (including a block).
 

I liked the minutes Stollings allocated tonight. Seemed to make sense, and it doesn't always. Wagner was solid on both ends, especially good offensively in the first half. Bell with some key buckets and quite a few FT's during crunch time. Brunson seems to be growing more confident with each game. I like when she handles some of the ball-handling duties with Bell. That was vintage Coffey tonight. Why doesn't Akpana play more for Northwestern? She's a very good rebounder. Once again, Northwestern's lack of depth is a problem. Douglas and Inman are four-year starters who never really developed as much as they should have. Seems to be Coffey and Deary and not much else. And Deary is somewhat easy to defend, mostly because of her lack of height. As Northwestern's men's hoops program becomes more successful, I wonder how long it will be before they look for a new women's coach.
 

Was that Wagner's first charge ever taken? She seemed to develop some swag after that. 10 pts in the first quarter. I was hoping she was headed to 40 for the game. She again has some sharp passing in this game.

Loved Hubbard's deflections on defense. Need more of that from everyone. Bell seems to be taking better care of the ball. Stollings seems to have found a formula. Now let's try sticking to it. Let's get a win at Michigan St.
 



tripledouble said:
I liked the minutes Stollings allocated tonight. Seemed to make sense, and it doesn't always. Wagner was solid on both ends, especially good offensively in the first half. Bell with some key buckets and quite a few FT's during crunch time. Brunson seems to be growing more confident with each game. I like when she handles some of the ball-handling duties with Bell. That was vintage Coffey tonight. Why doesn't Akpana play more for Northwestern? She's a very good rebounder. Once again, Northwestern's lack of depth is a problem. Douglas and Inman are four-year starters who never really developed as much as they should have. Seems to be Coffey and Deary and not much else. And Deary is somewhat easy to defend, mostly because of her lack of height. As Northwestern's men's hoops program becomes more successful, I wonder how long it will be before they look for a new women's coach.
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The nightmare of Northwestern basketball's pre-Mckeown era remains. I'm assuming he's there until retirement.

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2017/...resses-for-northwestern-in-loss-to-minnesota/

Akpanah's only real skill has been rebounding against the Gopher's and Inman's minutes have been limited by injury.

Kunaiyi-Akpanah hasn’t seen the floor much this year and didn’t play for an entire month of the season after playing in 32 of 35 games last year and starting 20. She has started zero games this year and has averaged only 6.3 minutes per game, compared to over 19 per game last year.
 


Highlights from the game.

The video reminded me thatTaiye Bello tends to grab a rebound and take it right back to the hoop. Edwards, for some reason, has gotten into the habit of bringing the rebound down and even attempting a dribble. Mayhem tends to ensue, especially if Ashley Deary is around.

At about the 1:23 mark, you can see the clear out play. When Brunson starts to dribble right, around Byrdy Galernik, Tinjum at the right elbow and Wagner on the right block clear out across the lane taking their defenders with them. Jasmine had a clear path for her layup. The next time it was run, Northwestern recognized the play and stayed home.
 

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