Indiana University Athletics
No. 15 Minnesota Preview (2-22-05)
2/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
• Indiana (10-15, 3-11) looks to snap a two game losing skid when it plays host to No. 15/15 Minnesota (20-6, 10-4) on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on WHCC (105.1) with Jeremy Gray calling all of the action. The match up will also air on a tape delay basis beginning at 8 p.m., on WTIU with John McGuire serving as the play-by-play announcer and Jennifer Forney providing color.
• The Hoosiers met up with the Golden Gophers earlier in the season in Minneapolis on Jan. 2, with then- No. 12/12 Minnesota capturing a 67-41 victory.
• Minnesota leads the all-time series, 23-22, but the Hoosiers' however, hold an 11-9 advantage when playing in Bloomington.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
No. 15/15 Minnesota enters Thursday's game with a 20-6 record overall and a 10-4 record in conference play after most recently defeating Wisconsin on Sunday, Feb. 30, 84-53.
Senior center Janel McCarville, a Wooden Preseason All-American and Naismith National Player of the Year Nominee, is the Gophers' top scoring and rebounding threat. The Stevens Point, Wis., native averages 16.8 ppg and 10.3 rpg. The Golden Gophers' second leading scorer is sophomore guard Jamie Broback at 12.8 ppg.
As a team, Minnesota boasts the second-highest scoring margin (+14.0) and also ranks second in field goal percentage (.474), three-point field goal percent (.377), three point field goal percent defense (.296), rebounding margin (+8.5), and assists (16.73).
The Gophers were a 2004 Final Four participant and were selected to finish third in the Big Ten preseason poll of the conference coaches.
Third-year head coach Pam Borton has compiled an overall record of 70-21 while at the helm of the Minnesota program. Previously, Borton spent five years (1997-2002) at Boston College, where she was promoted to associate head coach for the last two years. She also served as the head coach of Vermont from 1993-97.
AN INDIANA WIN WOULD...
• Be its first over a ranked opponent this season and first since a 54-50 victory over then-No. 23 Ohio State on Jan. 12, 2003
• Tie the all-time series at 23 apiece
• Snap a three-game losing streak vs. the Gophers
AN INDIANA LOSS WOULD...
• Be its fourth-straight to Minnesota
• Give the Golden Gophers a 24-22 advantage in the all-time series
• Be its ninth to a ranked opponent this season
HOME ATTENDANCE RECORD SHATTERED
February 20, 2005 will go down as memorable day in Indiana women's basketball history. The Hoosiers drew their largest crowd ever, drawing 10,022 fans to watch them play their archrival Purdue.
In drawing over 10,000 fans, Vera Bradley Design donated $10,000 to breast cancer research. The previous attendance record was 7,986 which was set on Jan. 24, 2003 vs. Wisconsin.
BOYD/BRANSON HAVE CAREER PERFORMANCES
Sophomore Annika Boyd and junior Brigett Branson both turned in career-high scoring performances during the Feb. 20 game vs. Purdue.
Boyd was IU's leading scorer with 19 points, on a 6-for-10 shooting effort from the field and perfect 6-for-6 performance from the free throw line.
In addition, Branson netted a career-high seven points.
NEXT GAME
Indiana will conclude its regular season schedule on Sunday, Feb. 27 when it faces Iowa. Tip off with the Hawkeyes is slated for 6 p.m. The game can be heard locally on WHCC (105.1) and live stats will be available on iuhoosiers.com.
