UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHER WOMEN TOOK ON THE OHIO STATE BUCKYES

The University of Minnesota Gophers took on Ohio State at Williams Arena. Ohio State has a 20-5 11-3 record coming into this game. The Gophers have an 18-7 and 10-4 record coming into the game. Ohio State is currently ranked 17 in the nation according to the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.

Both of these teams started out really trying to get the ball up the court. Ohio State picked up in their full court man to man defense pressure to start the game off. They wanted to try to jump on the Gophers early.

The Gophers seemed to find the basket early on. In the early goings of the game it was a close tight game. No one seemed to make a break in the early goings on this one. Both of these teams are looking hard to get there shots up.

Both of these teams have played there fair amount of zone defense in the first half. Even in the zone defense each team has to work hard to get points. Ohio State has been able to get the Gophers so they have had a couple of shot clock violations. They play hard on the defensive end.

Ohio State really played aggressive throughout the first half. Both teams have played very hard in the first half. Each team is not giving up on the court.

Emily Fox has made some nice moves around the basket so far in this game. She just knows how to put the ball down on the floor and just go. She is really smart with it.

Both teams had their share of turn over’s in the first half. No one from either team can seem to hold on to the ball here.

At halftime the score was Minnesota 30 and Ohio State 26. The leading scorers so far for the Gophers are Katie Ohm with 6 points, and Ashley Ellis-Milan 5 points. The leading scorer for the Buckeyes was Brittany Johnson who had 6 points at half time. The Buckeyes shot 34.5% from the field in the first half. The Gophers shot 31.2% from the field in the first half.

The Gophers came out in the second half playing really aggressive and with a lot of emotions on both ends of the court. You could really since that the Gophers wanted to come away with the victory. But they knew that there was a whole half to play.

Ashley Ellis Milan has really done a good job in the low block in this game. She really fought hard. She and Star Allen really put on some battles when they were matched up on the low block.

The Buckeyes continued to push the ball and come at the Gophers in the second half. Mid-way through the second half The Buckeyes went on a run that the Gophers couldn't handle. At the 12:45 point of the second half the score was The Buckeyes 47 and the Gophers 36.

The Ohio State Buckeyes were able to run what they wanted to on the offensive end. The Gophers got there fire back with about 9:00 left to go in regulation as they went on a run and got the game with in 11 points.

The game got to a frantic pace with just under 7:00 to go. The Gophers went on a run and there were several possessions where both teams were diving on the ground after them. Minnesota was able to get those loose balls and convert them into baskets. The Gophers continued to make their run at the Buckeyes late in the second half.

For Ohio State Samantha Prahalis has really played well. She has really gotten after it and she was one of their vocal leaders on the court.

Ohio State was able to come away with the 73-62 victory over Minnesota. Ohio State was lead in scoring by Samantha Prahalis with 17 points, Star Allen and Jantel Lavender each had 14 points to round out Ohio State scoring.

For Minnesota they were lead in scoring by Emily Fox who had 18 points. Brittany McCoy chipped in 12 points.