Game 2: Gophers Host Drake (12/6/20)

Ignatius L Hoops

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Renewing a Rivalry from Years Past

“What a game for women’s basketball; what a game for the state of Iowa!”, Drake’s (1-2) head coach Jeannie Barancyzk remarked following the Bulldogs 97-103 loss to the Iowa in Des Moines. No, Barancyzk wasn’t pleased about the Hawkeyes 6’ freshman guard, Caitlin Clark, going off for 30 points and 13 assists. Nor did she like watching post Monika Czinano drop 27 points on 11-13 shooting. However, Drake won’t be the only victim of this season’s Clark and Czinano show.

On the positive side, Barancyzk was pleased about Drake’s big three stepping up to the challenge. 6’0” sophomore post player and Missouri transfer, Grace Berg, was a thorn in the Hawkeyes side all night. Berg scored 26 points on 12-17 shooting including a three pointer. Junior Guard Kierra Collier shot 7-9 from behind the arc on her way to 25 points. If that wasn’t enough, Collier also dished out 10 assists. And senior guard, Maddie Monahan from Glencoe-Silver Lake scored 23. Iowa needed to outscore Drake 38-29 in the fourth quarter to emerge with the victory.

Barancyzk cited tempo as the key to Drakes play. Against Iowa, the tempo was right all night. The Bulldogs love an up tempo style and play it with 10 players averaging more than 10 minutes a game. In the first outing of the season against Creighton in Omaha, the Bulldogs ran the Blue Jays off the court in the first half leading 50-33 before coasting to a 75-62 win. Berg dominated post play with 24 points and 7 rebounds. Collier (12 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds) and Monahan (13 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds) were solid.

The high of the Creighton win was short lived. Drake traveled to UW Green Bay but apparently quarantined their shooting touch in Omaha. The Bulldogs shot 34.4% from the field and were 6-38 from three. Nevertheless, Drake led the Phoenix 51-50 at the end of three before UWGB controlled the fourth winning 69-61. Monahan led the Bulldogs with 16 while Berg and Collier finished with 16. All in all it was a grubby low energy loss which reminded everyone that the Bulldogs are minus three starters from last season’s club.

Drake has been on quite a roll. Over the last eight years, head coach Jennie Barancyzk’s squad steadily climbed the ladder of national attention. In her first season (2012-13) the Bulldogs were 5-13 in the Missouri Valley Conference. In her second they were 9-9. Then, over the next six seasons, the Bulldogs really became Bulldogs with MVC records of: 15-3, 14-4, 18-0, 18-0, 17-1 and 14-4. This equated to two WNIT’s followed by three consecutive NCAA tourney appearances.

The run of six 20 win seasons keeps Barancyzk’s name prominent on “coaches to hire lists”. It’s possible the former Iowa forward (2000-04) simply wants to follow Lisa Bluder’s Drake-to-Iowa path. Bluder had a successful ten year run as Bulldog head coach before settling into her now 20 plus year Hawkeye run.

For now, Drake has been replaced as the MVC’s best team by Missouri State, (a team we remember spoiling last season’s Gopher opener). But, it’s not just Missouri State challenging the Bulldogs, Drake was projected for fourth in the MVC behind Missouri State, Bradley and Northern Iowa. The two returning starters, Monahan and Collier plus Berg, the transfer, obviously have their sights set much higher.


The Matchup:

Well…Drake has a pretty full toolbox, while many of Minnesota’s tools are still locked in the toolshed. Certainly the Bulldogs have something planned to contain Kadi Sissoko and Jasmine Powell. Against Iowa’s Caitlin Clark the announcers said Barancyzk had a different player guard her on each possession. I suppose it minimized the foul trouble. And we should note that Drake can match the Gopher’s height if needed. (Monica Burich is 6’2”, Maggie Bair is 6’3” and Allie Wooldridge is 6’1”). The Bulldogs have more than just up tempo guards. In any scenario, Sissoko and Powell pretty much must win their battles for a Gopher victory. We can also hope Drake expended a lot of energy in the “what a game!” match up with the Hawkeyes.


Minnesota Connections:

In addition to Maddie Monahan from Glencoe-Silver Lake, the Bulldogs have 5’11” guard Taylor McAulay from Centennial and 6’2” F Monica Burich from Roseville.


Minnesota/EIU Series History:

Drake and Minnesota have a long history; but not a recent one. Drake holds the series edge 8-6. However, the most recent two games were in December 2004 (a 74-57 Gopher victory at Williams) and in November 2003 (73-50 Gopher victory in Des Moines). Then you must skip back to the eighties for more Gopher/Bulldog action.


When the Head Coaches were Players:

Drake's Jennie Barancyzk (Lillis) was a solid forward for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2000-04. In 2003, Whalen and Lillis faced each other three times.

The first game in January 2003 was a 94-65 Gopher win at Williams. Lillis, 6 points and 4 rebounds was out shown by Whalen, 23 points and 9 rebounds. The return match-up in Iowa was also a Minnesota win, 77-60. Lillis posted 22 points and 8 rebounds pretty much matching Lindsay 24 points and 5 rebounds. There was a third meeting in the B1G Tournament with the Hawkeyes prevailing 80-77 behind Lillis’s 15 points and 13 rebounds. Whalen posted 22 and 1.

In 2004, the teams split two meetings. In the first, a 75-61 Gopher win, Whalen scored 28 points and collected 1 rebound. Lillis contributed 10 and 6. In Iowa City, with Whalen sidelined by injury, it was all Hawkeyes 81-61. Lillis scored 16 points while grabbing 9 rebounds.



Probable Starters (This Season’s Stats):

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
5’6”GRJrKierra Collier30.315.75.3
5’8”GSrMaddie Monahan31.017.32.0
5’8”GSrHannah Fuller17.00.02.5
6’2”FGrMonica Burich20.77.37.0
6’0”FRSoGrace Berg31.720.06.3


Bench (This Season’s Stats):

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
6’0”FJrAlli Woolridge18.04.53.5
5’10”GJrMaggie Negaard18.03.01.7
5’11”GRFrTaylor McAulay10.70.71.3
6’3”FSoMaggie Bair5.74.02.3
 


Going to be a really tough game to win, if anything because they are an experienced group with some upperclass leadership and we will still be shorthanded again.
the gophers concerns should be D, Drake will shoot the 3 better and they will expose us on certain matchups.. Plus they run their offense as good as any program, which is meant to confuse the Defense with picks and slips, if we try to go man, it will be interesting...
 

Are we going to get any of the players back that missed Wednesday's game?
 

Are we going to get any of the players back that missed Wednesday's game?
It is not know yet. In a media call earlier this week, Coach Whalen indicated they may have another player back. Caroline Strande went through warm-ups in the last game, so maybe she will be ready. And there is the possibility that Kayla Mershon receives her waiver from the NCAA to play this season.
 


Renewing a Rivalry from Years Past

“What a game for women’s basketball; what a game for the state of Iowa!”, Drake’s (1-2) head coach Jeannie Barancyzk remarked following the Bulldogs 97-103 loss to the Iowa in Des Moines. No, Barancyzk wasn’t pleased about the Hawkeyes 6’ freshman guard, Caitlin Clark, going off for 30 points and 13 assists. Nor did she like watching post Monika Czinano drop 27 points on 11-13 shooting. However, Drake won’t be the only victim of this season’s Clark and Czinano show.

On the positive side, Barancyzk was pleased about Drake’s big three stepping up to the challenge. 6’0” sophomore post player and Missouri transfer, Grace Berg, was a thorn in the Hawkeyes side all night. Berg scored 26 points on 12-17 shooting including a three pointer. Junior Guard Kierra Collier shot 7-9 from behind the arc on her way to 25 points. If that wasn’t enough, Collier also dished out 10 assists. And senior guard, Maddie Monahan from Glencoe-Silver Lake scored 23. Iowa needed to outscore Drake 38-29 in the fourth quarter to emerge with the victory.

Barancyzk cited tempo as the key to Drakes play. Against Iowa, the tempo was right all night. The Bulldogs love an up tempo style and play it with 10 players averaging more than 10 minutes a game. In the first outing of the season against Creighton in Omaha, the Bulldogs ran the Blue Jays off the court in the first half leading 50-33 before coasting to a 75-62 win. Berg dominated post play with 24 points and 7 rebounds. Collier (12 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds) and Monahan (13 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds) were solid.

The high of the Creighton win was short lived. Drake traveled to UW Green Bay but apparently quarantined their shooting touch in Omaha. The Bulldogs shot 34.4% from the field and were 6-38 from three. Nevertheless, Drake led the Phoenix 51-50 at the end of three before UWGB controlled the fourth winning 69-61. Monahan led the Bulldogs with 16 while Berg and Collier finished with 16. All in all it was a grubby low energy loss which reminded everyone that the Bulldogs are minus three starters from last season’s club.

Drake has been on quite a roll. Over the last eight years, head coach Jennie Barancyzk’s squad steadily climbed the ladder of national attention. In her first season (2012-13) the Bulldogs were 5-13 in the Missouri Valley Conference. In her second they were 9-9. Then, over the next six seasons, the Bulldogs really became Bulldogs with MVC records of: 15-3, 14-4, 18-0, 18-0, 17-1 and 14-4. This equated to two WNIT’s followed by three consecutive NCAA tourney appearances.

The run of six 20 win seasons keeps Barancyzk’s name prominent on “coaches to hire lists”. It’s possible the former Iowa forward (2000-04) simply wants to follow Lisa Bluder’s Drake-to-Iowa path. Bluder had a successful ten year run as Bulldog head coach before settling into her now 20 plus year Hawkeye run.

For now, Drake has been replaced as the MVC’s best team by Missouri State, (a team we remember spoiling last season’s Gopher opener). But, it’s not just Missouri State challenging the Bulldogs, Drake was projected for fourth in the MVC behind Missouri State, Bradley and Northern Iowa. The two returning starters, Monahan and Collier plus Berg, the transfer, obviously have their sights set much higher.


The Matchup:

Well…Drake has a pretty full toolbox, while many of Minnesota’s tools are still locked in the toolshed. Certainly the Bulldogs have something planned to contain Kadi Sissoko and Jasmine Powell. Against Iowa’s Caitlin Clark the announcers said Barancyzk had a different player guard her on each possession. I suppose it minimized the foul trouble. And we should note that Drake can match the Gopher’s height if needed. (Monica Burich is 6’2”, Maggie Bair is 6’3” and Allie Wooldridge is 6’1”). The Bulldogs have more than just up tempo guards. In any scenario, Sissoko and Powell pretty much must win their battles for a Gopher victory. We can also hope Drake expended a lot of energy in the “what a game!” match up with the Hawkeyes.


Minnesota Connections:

In addition to Maddie Monahan from Glencoe-Silver Lake, the Bulldogs have 5’11” guard Taylor McAulay from Centennial and 6’2” F Monica Burich from Roseville.


Minnesota/EIU Series History:

Drake and Minnesota have a long history; but not a recent one. Drake holds the series edge 8-6. However, the most recent two games were in December 2004 (a 74-57 Gopher victory at Williams) and in November 2003 (73-50 Gopher victory in Des Moines). Then you must skip back to the eighties for more Gopher/Bulldog action.


When the Head Coaches were Players:

Drake's Jennie Barancyzk (Lillis) was a solid forward for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2000-04. In 2003, Whalen and Lillis faced each other three times.

The first game in January 2003 was a 94-65 Gopher win at Williams. Lillis, 6 points and 4 rebounds was out shown by Whalen, 23 points and 9 rebounds. The return match-up in Iowa was also a Minnesota win, 77-60. Lillis posted 22 points and 8 rebounds pretty much matching Lindsay 24 points and 5 rebounds. There was a third meeting in the B1G Tournament with the Hawkeyes prevailing 80-77 behind Lillis’s 15 points and 13 rebounds. Whalen posted 22 and 1.

In 2004, the teams split two meetings. In the first, a 75-61 Gopher win, Whalen scored 28 points and collected 1 rebound. Lillis contributed 10 and 6. In Iowa City, with Whalen sidelined by injury, it was all Hawkeyes 81-61. Lillis scored 16 points while grabbing 9 rebounds.



Probable Starters (This Season’s Stats):

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
5’6”GRJrKierra Collier30.315.75.3
5’8”GSrMaddie Monahan31.017.32.0
5’8”GSrHannah Fuller17.00.02.5
6’2”FGrMonica Burich20.77.37.0
6’0”FRSoGrace Berg31.720.06.3


Bench (This Season’s Stats):

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
6’0”FJrAlli Woolridge18.04.53.5
5’10”GJrMaggie Negaard18.03.01.7
5’11”GRFrTaylor McAulay10.70.71.3
6’3”FSoMaggie Bair5.74.02.3
Thanks for posting this comprehensive review of our next game !
 

I watched the 2nd half of Iowa at Drake. Drake had the lead in the 4th but had some untimely turnovers. That and too much Monika Czinano cost them the game. Iowa/Iowa State/Drake play each year so I see them a bit. Jeannie Barancyzk has proved to be a heck of a coach at Drake and am sure she has had some P5 offers but seems to like living/coaching in Des Moines....maybe waiting to coach Iowa someday? Drake and Mizzu State are the class of the Missouri Valley Conference and a couple of the best mid-majors in recent years. Going to be a tough game especially with the Gophers being so short handed. BTW, Iowa looked good and Clark looked to be everything she was hyped to be as a top recruit.
 
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Any word if there will be any players playing tomorrow that didn’t make the season opener?
 





Why didn’t Sissoko start? Kinda odd.
 


Our bigs need to get alot better defensively.
 



Just saw the 1st half stats. We are shooting 38/23 % FG n 3pt. with Drake going 56/70%! Unlikely for them to shoot that well the entire game. Their PoT is also 12-2. Hopefully, we can make some 3's n shoot better in the 2nd half.
 

Not much hope for winning this game. Drake hitting on all cylinders. Maybe a “morale victory” in the second half?
 



Wow, just saw we only scored 9 points in the 3rd quarter ?
 


Help me find some positives but I couldn’t find any. Maybe having the whole roster available Wednesday?
 

Help me find some positives but I couldn’t find any. Maybe having the whole roster available Wednesday?
The youngsters got alot of playing time and now we get everyone back next week hopefully.
 

Powell n Hubbard combined for 39 points . Looks like they dominated in all areas of the game.
 


Another positive......the BTN+ streaming has worked nicely for the first two games. Wednesday's game versus Michigan State is on BTN. Until we get everyone back, hard to judge the team.
 

Another positive......the BTN+ streaming has worked nicely for the first two games. Wednesday's game versus Michigan State is on BTN. Until we get everyone back, hard to judge the team.
Even then it might be hard to judge this team, how much have they practiced together? Have these players that are out been able to practice? All the players were at the game today and Alexia Smith was dressed out so thats a good sign for this week.
 


Powell n Hubbard combined for 39 points . Looks like they dominated in all areas of the game.
We will have to get better defensively to be competitive.. The foot speed was really apparent today. Right now we cant get out and deny passes, close properly or disrupt shots so lets see when we get a couple starters back.
 



Post Game Quotes:

Lindsay: "Overall, I just thought they had our heads spinning"


Dec. 6, 2020
Williams Arena
Drake at Minnesota

Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota Head Coach Opening Statement
... “
A real tough one for us. Give them credit, we have a lot of things to work on, clearly. This is a game where we’ll learn, that’s a really good team Obviously, we’ll have to turn the page quick. We had two non-conference games and then it’s straight into the Big Ten. So, we play Wednesday, and we have to turn the page pretty quick here. Give them credit, that’s not a team that is used to losing twice, and they came in here pretty fired up. That’s a really good program, so give them credit and we just have to get better.”

On the defensive struggles Sunday….
“First and foremost, it was lot of transition. In the first quarter, where they really punched us was in transition. We’ll work on it for the next two days and then we have Michigan State. We just have to keep working on it, keep practicing it … Overall, I just thought they had our heads spinning. That’s a team that’s played together, they’ve had their system in for several years. They were either getting to the three, getting backdoor cuts to the basket, but first and foremost we need to keep guys in front of us in transition.”

On Caroline Strande’s performance in her debut…
“I liked her approach. I thought she was aggressive with four steals, and she made a lot happen. She got 12 shots up. We talked a little bit about looking for your opportunities and not forcing it, but in her first game off of injury, she plays 26 minutes against a team that was ranked 23rd in the preseason. I thought it was pretty good; she showed the moxie that she has. I was really impressed, and it’s something for her to build on, for sure.”

Jasmine Powell, Minnesota Guard

On the defensive struggles in tonight’s game…

“I think our 1-on-1 defense needs a little work. I think we had to help too much, and it gave them a lot of open threes. It was threes and layups for them. Transition defense as well, that was huge for us. Their pace this game was really quick, and we just have to adjust. We adjusted a little too late, and they got us down a little bit.”

On personal improvements going into Big Ten play…
“I think the biggest thing is looking for open players more, as well as cutting down my turnovers. I think that will help the team tremendously, just not making it worse for us than it needs to be. My leadership on the floor as well, being someone who pulls us together when teams have their runs, because every team is going to have their runs. I think those are the biggest things for me.”

Gadiva Hubbard, Minnesota Guard

On the defensive struggles in tonight’s game…
“I think we’re not communicating enough on defense. Their offense is a lot of cutting and backdoors, a lot of screens. I think we need to talk through those a lot more, and we just got caught.”

On recovering from a tough loss like this one…
“Yes, it was disappointing, but like you said, we learn from it and move forward. We have to move forward. We can’t take any of this with us to the Michigan State game. They’re a really good team, and we have to focus on them really quick because we have a two-day turnaround.
 

Why didn’t Sissoko start? Kinda odd.

From the Daily (Thanks Tony Liebert):

Whalen opted to stay with four of the same five starters. Powell, Hubbard, Hedman, and Sconiers remained, while she decided to replace Kadi Sissoko with Grace Cumming. Sissoko recorded 24 points in her Gophers debut, so the decision came by surprise. With even more surprise, Sissoko checked into the game for Cumming only 30 seconds into the contest. Whalen later stated it was just a miscommunication with the scorers table.


 




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