STrib: How Good Can They Be?

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Gophers women's basketball to open Big Ten play vs. Purdue

Minnesota has hit its marks under Dawn Plitzuweit. The next test: one of the nation's best conferences, starting with a game against Purdue.

www.startribune.com

Kent Youngblood:

Will the Gophers respond?

The elements are there. Star power? Guard Mara Braun has taken another step. After a short shooting slump, Braun has scored 58 points, hit 19 of 38 shots overall and nine of 16 three-pointers in victories over Drake and Kentucky. She has hit all 29 of her free throws this season and owns a program-best streak of 36 dating back to last year. She has not registered a turnover in her past 103½ minutes of playing time.

Balance? All five starters are averaging 9.9 points per game or higher and getting 4.4 rebounds or better, led by Mallory Heyer's 8.2. The Gophers, averaging 23.4 three-point attempts per game (vs. 18.3 last season), have three three-point threats in Braun (37.5%), freshman Grace Grocholski (33.3%) and Heyer (41.0%).

"We have a lot of different scoring threats," Heyer said. "We move the ball around really well, we share it. We run a motion offense, we cut and we hit open threes."

 

[Rex]

I've noticed that Kent has a vote in the Women's AP poll, I don't know if he had the Gophers in his top 25 though.