Game 8: Gophers Host Detroit (12/3/16)

Ignatius L Hoops

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Gophers host Detroit

Detroit, in their second season under Bernard Scott, is 3-4 after losing at home to George Mason 55-54 on a basket with 3 seconds remaining. Last season, the Titans were 15-15 (11-7 (4th) in the Horizon League).

And Detroit has Kelsey Mitchell. No. Not THAT one (maybe the last run for that stale joke); but the Kelsey Mitchell who played last season for Michigan and then became a graduate transfer to Detroit.


Wins: @Delaware State, 90-71; Kent State (future Gopher opponent) 73-52; Delaware (at Cal State Northridge), 66-64.

Losses: @ East Carolina, 83-81 (OT); Bradley (Tinjum’s former team), 70-60; @ Cal State Northridge, 76-67; and George Mason, 55-54.


Whitney Tinjum versus Detroit: Last season, in 32 minutes, Tinjum scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Whitney was 6-13 from the field (2-5 from three and 7-8 from the line). Bradley prevailed 75-67 in Detroit.

Three point shooting: Detroit (33-116); Minnesota (49-159); Gopher Opponents (54-167)


Probable Starters:

Rosanna Reynolds: 5’-10” G Sr. (15.3/points/game)
Brianne Cohen: 6’0” F Jr. (12.6/g)
Nicole Urbanick: 5’8” G Jr. (9.6/g)
Halaeigh Ristovski: 5’10” G/F Sr.
Lola Ristovski: 5’8” G So.


Other:

Kelsey Mitchell: 6’0” F Sr. (7.7/g) and 7..7 rebounds/game.
 

rpi-lowering game, but at least we can feel good about winning again
 


Did everyone lose interest? :) Gophers win 111-91.

I'm going to watch the replay on BTN2go. Happy to see a win and veeeery curious how we could give up 91 to Detroit. :)
 

I'm going to watch the replay on BTN2go. Happy to see a win and veeeery curious how we could give up 91 to Detroit. :)

D ????? We really need to start playing both ends of the court or it will be a long Big season.
 


D ????? We really need to start playing both ends of the court or it will be a long Big season.

D? What is this D you speak of Gringa? I have only vague memories of it. :cool02:
 


Back from the triple header: WBB, WVB and MHKY

Some quick notes on the Gopher win:

The good: Minnesota grabbed 59 boards to Detroit's 29 and shot 13-31 from three.

The ugly: Detroit shot 16-35 from three (Anja Marinkovic was 7-11).


Starters: Four guards again if you count Hedstrom as a guard:

Hedstrom
Barnes
Bell
Wagner
Hubbard

As noted before: Bell, Wagner and Hubbard seem set. Stollings started with a Barnes/Hedstrom tandem. Then they were subbed out for Edwards/Tinjum. Eventually Edwards and Hedstrom combined for 51 minutes and Barnes/Tinjum/Starr/T. Bello 38 minutes.


Minutes Played:

33 Wagner: (31 points) 6 rebounds
31 Hubbard: (26 points)
27 Bell (21 points) and her hair unleashed
27 Edwards: (15 points) 12 rebounds
24 Hedstrom: (8 points) 9 rebounds
14 Brunson
13 Starr
10 Tinjum
8 Barnes
7 T Bello
2 Lamke
2 Key
2 Kaposi


Once again, at the start of the second half the Gophers went man.

There was some time warp in the second half containing the following. Starr committed back to back silly turnovers, Wagner was in the left corner while the player she was defending was in the right corner knocking down a three and Hedstrom went under a screen when there was about three feet between the screener and the shooter-boom, another three. I think there were a few other items which don't immediately come to mind.

Minnesota ran some nice plays for Barnes including a couple of nifty inbound plays revolving around Karley; unfortunately Karley still struggles to finish shots.
 

Hedstrom is supposed to be a guard (just like Starr) but she's tall enough and too scrappy not to use her in our weak link spot, the PF.

Also notable with Wagner is the 4 assists. The last one being a sure two pts that would have given her 33 pts, but instead she dumps it off to Bell (I think). I also liked how Wagner got to the FT line more in this game. Easy way to pile up those pts. Wagner is now like 15th All-time scorer in Gopher history with nearly two years to go?

Here I thought Kaposi was going to be the starting PF, and she gets the least minutes. I've noticed that she wears this mammoth knee brace. She dresses to play though, so I wonder is she hurt or is that huge brace for preventative measures? If her minutes stay down, I wonder if she'll be back next year.

I like Starr because she's great at finding a post player in the paint. I keep hoping that becomes infectious with the rest of the team. A lot of one on one drives and just basic passing around the horn with this team. Not a lot of creative extra passes.
 



They played aggressive defense in the 1st half and reacted to the ball much better than in any previous game but Detroit shot the ball extremely well. It's one thing to shoot the three another to actually make them and they made them. I too wonder why Stollings doesn't use Kaposi more. She is easily the most athletic front court player we have especially defensively and yet she doesn't play. Neither Tinjum nor Barnes scored and yet they played alot of minutes and made alot of mistakes!!!
 

The last one being a sure two pts that would have given her 33 pts, but instead she dumps it off to Bell (I think). I also liked how Wagner got to the FT line more in this game. Easy way to pile up those pts. Wagner is now like 15th All-time scorer in Gopher history with nearly two years to go?

It was to Bell. And was a nice play from the start made better by the lay back to Bell. Also in the second half; Bell demonstrated she has speed she can use. A Detroit player broke down court on a Gopher turnover. Bell sprinted past a running Wagner, caught the culprit knocking the ball off her and out of bounds. Bell is making more and more memorable plays.
 

I'm going to watch the replay on BTN2go. Happy to see a win and veeeery curious how we could give up 91 to Detroit. :)

You obviously don't understand that defense isn't that important to Stollings.
 

I wouldn't count on getting much out of Kaposi this year. She was a late sign and I don't think she had the benefit of working with the other players over the summer. The coaching staff sees her play every day and they obviously don't think she's ready to play much at this level. I'd expect that T. Bello will play a lot more minutes this season and then if Kaposi is ever going to be a factor she'll have to make up some ground in the off-season. On another note, I agree that this team will not be a factor in the BIG until they can play some defense. But I'm a bit surprised that they are not playing better defense, as Bell and Hubbard appear to be more athletic than Mullaney and Bailey were last year. Wagner is not a good defensive player; might not ever be. Four starting spots appear to be settled for conference play...Bell, Hubbard, Wagner, and Fernstrom. Looks like either Starr or Hedstrom could be the fifth starter . T. Bello still has an outside chance to get major minutes throughout the season, as she is very athletic and also quick to the ball. But both Starr and Hedstrom bring some intangibles and experience that will probably serve the Gophers well as the season progresses.
 



Neither Hedstrom nor Starr are quick to the ball defensively but are serviceable.
 




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