Game 12: Gophers Visit Indiana (2-6-19)

Ignatius L Hoops

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Wednesday in Bloomington: A Quick Turnaround


Unlike Minnesota (4-7) Indiana (6-5) narrowly avoided the embarrassment of losing to Illinois by pulling out an 85-83 overtime win in Champaign. The Illini outscored IU 30-18 in the third quarter taking a 68-61 lead into the fourth quarter. In the fourth, after a Hoosier comeback, Illinois’ Brandi Beasley hit her first free throw tying the game at 77 with 2:05 remaining. Beasley missed her second attempt and the remainder of regulation turned into a comedy of misses. After prevailing in OT, Indiana won its next two B1G games including a impressive 68-64 takedown of Michigan State in Bloomington. Jaelyn Penn nailed a three pointer with 47 seconds remaining giving the Hoosiers a 65-62 advantage which they protected with free throws the rest of the way.

The Hoosier’s were riding high, 3-0 in the B1G and 13-1 overall, with their only loss being a Puerto Rican holiday bamboozlement to Grambling 62-65. Subsequently, following the win versus Michigan State, Indiana wobbled while posting 3-5 B1G record. The most troublesome problem was that some of the Hoosier stars Ali Patberg and Kym Royster notably, struggled. Patberg after scoring 22 in a loss to Northwestern scored 23 in her next four games. Royster totaled 19 in the same five games. Not surprisingly, Indiana went 1-4. Yesterday, in Nebraska, there was a revival. Patberg’s 23 points and Royster’s 21 points helped fuel an IU victory in Lincoln 82-78.


Last Season in Minneapolis: It was Tyra Buss (36 points) versus Carlie Wagner (34 points). Buss prevailed 82-70. After Destiny Pitts knocked down a jumper and a free throw it was 68-66 Indiana with 2:27 remaining. Indiana made 10 free throws down the stretch to lock it away. Gadiva Hubbard was out for the game. Garrido Perez played 16 minutes with 1 assist and 4 fouls.

With Indiana, virtually everything is an open book. The starters have not changed in B1G conference games and Jaelyn Penn is dangerous from beyond the arc: 26-58 (.448). The starters with points and minutes per game:

Penn: 16.4 points and 31.8 minutes
Patberg: 13.5 and 36.5
Wise: 11.5 and 34.5
Yeaney: 8.5 and 32.7
Royster: 6.1 and 21.6

6’3” Latvian Aleksa Gulbe is probably the wild card off the bench. She can cause trouble in the paint from time to time; but she is foul prone (38 in 11 games) having been DQ’d twice in B1G play. Gulbe is averaging 6.1 points in 19.5 minutes.

B1G Wins: @ Illinois 85-83, Penn State 83-75, Michigan State 68-64, @ Wisconsin 75-68, Michigan 70-60, @ Nebraska 82-78

B1G Losses: @ Ohio State 50-55, Northwestern 69-75, @ Purdue 53-56, Maryland 56-76, @ Rutgers 64-69


Starters:

5’11” G Jr Ali Patberg (20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists in 43 minutes versus Illinois)
5’10” G So Jaelyn Penn (28 points 2 rebounds in 35 minutes versus Michigan)
6’2” F Sr Kym Royster (19 points, 14 rebounds in 28 minutes versus Nebraska)
6’0” F Jr Brenna Wise (15 points, 5 rebounds in 35 minutes versus Rutgers)
5’10” G So Bendu Yeaney (12 points, 6 rebounds in 31 minutes versus Rutgers)


Others:

6’0” G Fr Grace Berger (9 points, 5 rebounds in 20 minutes versus Nebraska)
6’3” F Fr Aleksa Gulbe (6 points and 5 rebounds in 27 minutes versus Maryland)
5’10” G So Keyanna Warthen (5 points and 2 rebounds in 7 minutes versus Purdue)
 

https://www.indystar.com/story/spor...li-patberg-figuring-things-out-iu/2777131002/

Article on Notre Dame transfer Ali Patberg:

She chose Notre Dame for all the right reasons — academics, proximity to family, program success — but after the surgeries and illnesses she felt in her heart the opportunity she had with the Fighting Irish wasn’t what it had been.

There were talks with Irish coach Muffet McGraw about staying.

But while Patberg discovered in South Bend who she was off the floor, that she wasn’t a basketball player, just someone who played basketball, she wanted to rediscover who she was on the floor elsewhere. And it wasn’t long before she took a visit to Bloomington.

“Growing up I was a big IU fan,” Patberg said. “Honestly the coaches, the team, just felt like family right away. I felt at home. And for me, I know that’s important because growing up how important family was to me and feeling comfortable. So, when I felt that right away I knew.”

She’d have to sit out again. She’d watch Tyra Buss and Amanda Cahill lead Indiana to its first WNIT title while Notre Dame won the NCAA national championship. But she wasn’t scared like she was her freshman year, worrying about whether or not she could be the same player. She was able to practice every day and regain the confidence she lost.

And she wasn’t sitting alone. Fellow-transfer Brenna Wise was, too.

“Going through what we went through together, going through tough times together, being there for one another, it builds a bond like sisters, family,” Patberg said. “We get each other so well. We’re both super competitive and we work super hard.”

“It took a lot for me to leave my family,” added Wise, who transferred from Pittsburgh and grew up there. “She was like, ‘My family will be your family. I’m here for whatever you need.’”

...

“Ali’s a good juice kid,” Moren said. “She’s always positive with her teammates. When they get discouraged or they make a mistake or whatever in the course of practice, in a game, she’s the first one there to go and build them up. That takes a special person, to be a point guard and have a lot of pressure running our basketball team, but she still — because of the person that she is — can separate herself and give herself to her teammates.”
 

Sounds like we should be most afraid of (in case they have a hot scoring night) Jaelyn Penn, Ali Patberg, and Kym Royster (in that order). Record scores by these three (in one game) would total 67 points plus whatever the other Hoosiers contributed. So strong defense needed on these three, for sure.

If Perez can defend 6'0" Brenna Wise (which I think she can), then we should be fine with playing 4 guards, since Bello can likely handle and out-rebound Royster.

Although they are ranked high, I suspect Indiana is ripe for an upset by Minnesota. Go Gophers!
 

It's all Perez to start the show!

After couple min of everybody missing everything.

Then Pitts fouled on a three, and makes em all.
 
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Perez looking like an All-American for the first 4 minutes. 2ppg average with 6 points already.
 


We are up 16-8 at end of first. Sloppy. Neither team shooting very well. Perez and Pitts carried us this quarter.
 

Gopher D terrific in the first quarter. Hoosiers not shooting well. Who is this Baylo kid we have? Don't know why the announcers are mispronouncing her name. It's not a tough one to pronounce.
 

Indiana playing down to our level in the first. We shot 5/17, they shot 4/17. Difference is, we made a couple threes.
 

6 rebounds by Bell already. You heard me right, that's Bell not Bello. She could get a triple double today if only she could make a darn assist to save her life.
 




6 rebounds by Bell already. You heard me right, that's Bell not Bello. She could get a triple double today if only she could make a darn assist to save her life.

To be fair, not going to get a ton of assists when your team shoots as poorly as Bell's often does.
 


Second quarter we are outscored 11-12. Lucky to be up at the half. Thank goodness for Indiana not taking care of the ball
 



Gophers winning ugly in the first half. Perez with three 3's. Did you see the rare first half appearance by Byrne? K. Bello played some. Haven't seen Staples yet. Hoosiers really having trouble with Gopher D.
 

3 for 10 from 2 for Bell. Others worse, but she's hogging all the shots, when she should be assisting to get that triple double.
 

To be fair, not going to get a ton of assists when your team shoots as poorly as Bell's often does.

Point well taken. So far, she should apparently just be throwing the ball to Perez, who has 1/3 of the points. Gee, did Whay tell Perez to shoot or something?
 
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At halftime:
Average points per Bell shot = .545
Average points per Perez shot = 3.0
 

Gophers winning ugly in the first half. Perez with three 3's. Did you see the rare first half appearance by Byrne? K. Bello played some. Haven't seen Staples yet. Hoosiers really having trouble with Gopher D.
Staples not dressed

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An interesting occurrence on the box score in the third period. For a brief moment, the plus/minus on every single Indiana player (all 9 that have played so far) was in the negative, ranging from -3 to -11.
 

An early second half appearance by Byrne. Patberg out for the rest of the evening?
 




IU not able to put much of a dent into the Gophers lead. Perez 4 of 4 from the field.
 

12 point lead with 4:3- to go. Can we avoid the 4th quarter collapse again?
 

Perez couldn't close out on Penn who hits a big 3. Gophers haven't collapsed in the 4th quarter the past 2 games. Hope they can hang on for the W.
 

Gophers gotta hang tough for 4 more minutes. Penn just nailed her first 3, don't let her have any more of those.
 

Run the offense, please...and let's not have Bello out at the top of the key on offense. She needs to be inside to rebound.
 




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