Game 8: Gophers Host Drake (12-2-23)

Sophie a bit slow to close out on Drakes 3.
 

Double OT. Let’s close this one out.
 

2nd overtime. I don't know if my heart can take this.
 


What a game. We had to take it away from Drake and did just that!
 









In my honest opinion this has been the most important game the Gophers have played this season. A tournament team last year and probably this year. Showed a major fight. Bench finally able to help out. Great win Gophs!
 

Have to admit, I didn’t think the Gophers would win a high scoring game but nice to see. Janay did have some nice defensive plays at the end. Braun just wasn’t going to lose period.
 




Wow, no quit in this team!! Gritty win against a very good opponent!
 

Sophie with some important baskets. At the end they sub Nia for Sophie on D and Nia deflects the ball for a steal.
 


Did they really want Janay taking the shot at the end of OT, or do you think she was supposed to get the ball to Braun?
 



Battle fouling out didn't stop us. Janay runs the offense rather than just drives in to traffic. She was a huge key in the win.
Was nervous when she fouled out assuming the worst to come. Sanders had her best minutes of the year though and didn't force much. Huge on the defensive end.

Big win over likely tournament team!
 


I think having Janay with the starters gave her a chance to distribute and play defense and not have to score. With that said, she did score 10 points.
 

Gophers women's basketball comes alive late to beat Drake in double overtime

The Gophers outscored the Bulldogs 20-9 to close the fourth quarter, then held on in two overtimes at Williams Arena.

It pretty much came down to this: Mara Braun would not let the Gophers women's basketball team lose Saturday at Williams Arena.

Playing a Drake team that ran an efficient offense much of the way, Braun scored 14 of her 33 points after regulation in the Gophers' 94-88 double-overtime victory

It was Braun's three early in the second overtime that put the Gophers up 86-85. It was her two free throws with 2:33 left that put the Gophers up four. Mallory Heyer's step-back jumper with 1:51 left put the Gophers up six and essentially sealed the deal.

In a game that saw 11 players from the two teams score in double figures, Heyer had a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double. Sophie Hart and Grace Grocholski each had 12 points.

Katie Dinnebier had 30 points for Drake (5-3).

Down by 11 with 7:50 left, the Gophers finished regulation on a 20-9 run that included six points from Hart and a steal and score by Janay Sanders that tied the score at 74-74. The Gophers held at the other end, forcing overtime.
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Mara Braun earlier was missing too many shots but when it counted throttled Drake.

Mara Braun: 33 points.

It looked dicey when Battle fouled out with Minnesota down 8 or 11, I forget. Earlier Sanders left the game to the locker room with an apparent injury but, huge relief, came back and held her own.

A win BIG against a good Drake team.


Only six Gophers scored in the game but all them were in double figures.
  • Mara Braun: 33 points
  • Mallory Heyer: 16 points
  • Grace Grocholski: 12 points
  • Amaya Battle: 11 points
  • Sophie Hart: 12 points
  • Janay Sanders: 10 points
 
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After Coach P sat Sanders in the first half, Sanders was doing the all-dribble, drive, and no passing thing, Sanders got the message and played huge in the second half.
 







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