Minnesota defeated Arkansas before losing to No. 13 Florida State and USF.
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-14
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers women’s basketball team won its regular season opener, but finished with a 1-2 record at the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tipoff on Nov. 11-13 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Minnesota defeated Arkansas on Friday and then lost to No. 13 Florida State on Saturday and South Florida on Sunday.
“We’re going to get better from this,” assistant coach Curtis Loyd told ESPN1500 radio Sunday. “We got to give our younger kids some experience on the floor.”
Minnesota fought admirably against a tough Florida State team Saturday, but ran out of steam in the second half and fell to the Seminoles 68-56.
The Gophers led 44-37 before Florida State went on a 31-12 run to finish the game. Minnesota made just three field goals in the last 15:20.
Rachel Banham had 10 points in the loss, but shot just 4-for-16 and had six turnovers. The freshman point guard made her only 3-point shot to cut Florida State’s lead to 51-50 with 6:39 left, but the Seminoles went on a 12-0 run thereafter.
Senior Kiara Buford led Minnesota with 13 points and added four rebounds and five assists. Junior Katie Loberg had 11 points and six rebounds.
Alexa Deluzio led Florida State with 17 points, including two three-point shots following Banham’s triple to give the Seminoles a 57-50 lead.
“We have big goals, so, although we have a lot of work to do, I thought our team put up a great fight today,” Gophers head coach Pam Borton said in a release after Saturday’s loss.
On Sunday, the Gophers looked as though they were running on tired legs as Southern Florida defeated them 60-52.
The Gophers shot just 27 percent from the field and had 17 points at the half. They ended the game on a 13-2 run to make it competitive.
Buford again led the Gophers with 16 points, but also had four turnovers.
Banham missed her first eight shots and didn’t score until one minute remained in the first half. She finished the game with six points on 2-for-15 shooting.
Loberg spent Saturday trying to guard Florida State’s All-American Cierra Bravard but shot just 2-for-9 and had five points Sunday.
Banham led the team to a 68-60 victory in its opener against Arkansas, scoring 15 points on 6-for-14 shooting. She had just two turnovers and four assists.
Minnesota committed 18 turnovers as a team, but Arkansas had 24. Gophers forward Kionna Kellogg had six steals, and Banham and junior guard Leah Cotton each added two.
The Gophers took a 29-23 lead into the intermission and trailed only briefly in the second half. Down 44-42, they went on a 15-2 run to take an 11-point lead that they would not relinquish.
Buford added 13 points and six rebounds, and Loberg had 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Buford showed her leadership by filling up the stat sheet in each game. She finished the weekend with a team-high 42 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, and four blocks.
Banham, on the other hand, showed inconsistency as a freshman still learning the ropes. She had 31 points on the weekend, but shot just 6-for-31 in the Gophers’ two losses.
Minnesota will try to rebound from back-to-back losses when it returns to Williams Arena for the Subway Classic tournament on Nov. 19-20.
The Gophers are scheduled to play Binghamton on Saturday. If they win, they will play in Sunday’s championship game; if they lose, they will play in a consolation game Sunday.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/14/gophers-start-strong-finish-1-2-wbi-tipoff
Monday, November 14, 2011
Quick hitters: Gopher-Badger football game
Quick hitters: Gopher-Badger football game
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-14
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray became a father late Friday night, as his girlfriend gave birth to twin boys named MarShawn and MarZell.
Gray said he received a call during team activities and was given a ride to the hospital to be with his girlfriend.
“It was the best day of my life,” Gray said.
Though he and head coach Jerry Kill said it was unrelated, he had his worst statistical performance of the year Saturday.
He had only six completions for 51 yards and threw an interception. His longest completion was only 12 yards.
The 51 yards passing was Minnesota’s lowest total this season. Its previous low for passing yards was 104 yards in a 58-0 loss at Michigan.
Minnesota only had 48 plays from scrimmage.
“I said we could not win this game unless we snapped the ball 70 or 80 times,” Kill said. “We couldn’t leave our defense out on the football field all the time. Our defense was out there and they controlled the football.” Minnesota averaged a season-low 3.25 yards on those 48 plays.
Minnesota scored its two touchdowns on special teams plays. The first was a fake field goal and run by kicker Jordan Wettstein. Wettstein had to break a tackle on the five-yard run to the end zone.
“I thought I was down. I saw him coming, but I tried making a little move on him. I watched the running backs all week on that,” Wettstein said.
Wettstein missed the extra point after his touchdown.
The second special teams touchdown was a 96-yard kickoff return by senior Duane Bennett to open the second half. It was the Gophers’ second kickoff return for a touchdown this year.
Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson finished the game 16-for-17 for 178 yards and four touchdowns. His only incompletion was a dropped pass by Nick Toon.
The Gophers’ defense also gave up 16 straight completions to Matt Barkley in the first game of the year. Minnesota has given up at least nine straight completions to five different quarterbacks.
Wisconsin running back Montee Ball ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns and added a touchdown reception.
Minnesota’s running backs, by contrast, were held to 32 yards on 12 carries.
The Gophers’ defense penetrated Wisconsin’s offensive line and sacked Wilson twice, which brought Minnesota’s season total to 12.
Senior linebacker Gary Tinsley, who recorded one of those sacks, had three tackles for loss and had double-digit tackles — 12 — for the first time this year.
Minnesota recorded eight tackles for loss throughout the game, the most since its opening game against USC.
Safety Kim Royston recorded nine tackles against his former team, including one for a loss. Royston, a Minneapolis native, played for the Badgers before he transferred to Minnesota.
Despite the numerous tackles for loss and sacks, the Gophers’ defense allowed Wisconsin to succeed on third down 70 percent of the time.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/14/quick-hitters-gopher-badger-football-game
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-14
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray became a father late Friday night, as his girlfriend gave birth to twin boys named MarShawn and MarZell.
Gray said he received a call during team activities and was given a ride to the hospital to be with his girlfriend.
“It was the best day of my life,” Gray said.
Though he and head coach Jerry Kill said it was unrelated, he had his worst statistical performance of the year Saturday.
He had only six completions for 51 yards and threw an interception. His longest completion was only 12 yards.
The 51 yards passing was Minnesota’s lowest total this season. Its previous low for passing yards was 104 yards in a 58-0 loss at Michigan.
Minnesota only had 48 plays from scrimmage.
“I said we could not win this game unless we snapped the ball 70 or 80 times,” Kill said. “We couldn’t leave our defense out on the football field all the time. Our defense was out there and they controlled the football.” Minnesota averaged a season-low 3.25 yards on those 48 plays.
Minnesota scored its two touchdowns on special teams plays. The first was a fake field goal and run by kicker Jordan Wettstein. Wettstein had to break a tackle on the five-yard run to the end zone.
“I thought I was down. I saw him coming, but I tried making a little move on him. I watched the running backs all week on that,” Wettstein said.
Wettstein missed the extra point after his touchdown.
The second special teams touchdown was a 96-yard kickoff return by senior Duane Bennett to open the second half. It was the Gophers’ second kickoff return for a touchdown this year.
Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson finished the game 16-for-17 for 178 yards and four touchdowns. His only incompletion was a dropped pass by Nick Toon.
The Gophers’ defense also gave up 16 straight completions to Matt Barkley in the first game of the year. Minnesota has given up at least nine straight completions to five different quarterbacks.
Wisconsin running back Montee Ball ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns and added a touchdown reception.
Minnesota’s running backs, by contrast, were held to 32 yards on 12 carries.
The Gophers’ defense penetrated Wisconsin’s offensive line and sacked Wilson twice, which brought Minnesota’s season total to 12.
Senior linebacker Gary Tinsley, who recorded one of those sacks, had three tackles for loss and had double-digit tackles — 12 — for the first time this year.
Minnesota recorded eight tackles for loss throughout the game, the most since its opening game against USC.
Safety Kim Royston recorded nine tackles against his former team, including one for a loss. Royston, a Minneapolis native, played for the Badgers before he transferred to Minnesota.
Despite the numerous tackles for loss and sacks, the Gophers’ defense allowed Wisconsin to succeed on third down 70 percent of the time.
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Gophers open regular season with WBI Tipoff
Kiara Buford and Rachel Banham lead Minnesota to Daytona Beach.
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-10
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers women’s basketball team opens its regular season this weekend in Florida with the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tipoff. Minnesota will play Arkansas, Florida State and South Florida over the weekend.
“I’m excited about taking this team on the road,” head coach Pam Borton said. “We’ve got three exciting and difficult games. I feel like it’s the pre-NCAA tournament this weekend.”
The Gophers beat St. Cloud State and Bemidji State handily in their two exhibition games, but now will face a higher level of competition.
Borton said that the team’s consistent intensity has been its greatest strength in both practice and the exhibition games.
Minnesota will rely on a senior-freshman combination in its backcourt this year. Kiara Buford and Rachel Banham have run the floor in transition effectively to date.
“We’re a faster team,” Borton said. “We’re running a lot more. We’re a lot more fun to watch, and the players are enjoying playing in that type of style.”
Banham said the speed is different than high school, where she dominated, but that she is working on both her speed and strength.
Buford has filled up the stat sheet and been a vocal leader on the court this season. She was forced to ball-handling duties last year but is now playing more shooting guard.
“I don’t think my role change has been difficult. It’s something that has evolved naturally,” Buford said. “Having Rachel at the point makes my life easier on the court.”
The Gophers were able to dominate the inside against watered-down exhibition competition, but this is an area in which they will be tested in the regular season.
Jackie Voigt, Micaëlla Riche and Katie Loberg will need to step up in rebounding and on defense for Minnesota to improve this year.
FSU is ranked 13th in the nation and will be a tough test for the Gophers. Last year, the Seminoles were one of the best teams in the nation in scoring offense, field-goal percentage and rebounding margin.
This weekend will be the first regular season step in the budding career of Rachel Banham, as well as an opportunity for the Gophers to rise back to the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
“We want to go down and come back 3-0,” Borton said. “We have a lot to prove as far as the Big Ten and our program.”
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/10/gophers-open-regular-season-wbi-tipoff
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-10
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
The Gophers women’s basketball team opens its regular season this weekend in Florida with the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tipoff. Minnesota will play Arkansas, Florida State and South Florida over the weekend.
“I’m excited about taking this team on the road,” head coach Pam Borton said. “We’ve got three exciting and difficult games. I feel like it’s the pre-NCAA tournament this weekend.”
The Gophers beat St. Cloud State and Bemidji State handily in their two exhibition games, but now will face a higher level of competition.
Borton said that the team’s consistent intensity has been its greatest strength in both practice and the exhibition games.
Minnesota will rely on a senior-freshman combination in its backcourt this year. Kiara Buford and Rachel Banham have run the floor in transition effectively to date.
“We’re a faster team,” Borton said. “We’re running a lot more. We’re a lot more fun to watch, and the players are enjoying playing in that type of style.”
Banham said the speed is different than high school, where she dominated, but that she is working on both her speed and strength.
Buford has filled up the stat sheet and been a vocal leader on the court this season. She was forced to ball-handling duties last year but is now playing more shooting guard.
“I don’t think my role change has been difficult. It’s something that has evolved naturally,” Buford said. “Having Rachel at the point makes my life easier on the court.”
The Gophers were able to dominate the inside against watered-down exhibition competition, but this is an area in which they will be tested in the regular season.
Jackie Voigt, Micaëlla Riche and Katie Loberg will need to step up in rebounding and on defense for Minnesota to improve this year.
FSU is ranked 13th in the nation and will be a tough test for the Gophers. Last year, the Seminoles were one of the best teams in the nation in scoring offense, field-goal percentage and rebounding margin.
This weekend will be the first regular season step in the budding career of Rachel Banham, as well as an opportunity for the Gophers to rise back to the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
“We want to go down and come back 3-0,” Borton said. “We have a lot to prove as far as the Big Ten and our program.”
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Badgers pose difficult test as heavy favorites
Minnesota will face an uphill battle against Wisconsin.
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-10
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota hosts the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium to battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. This game will be the 121st in the interstate rivalry and Minnesota hasn’t won since 2003.
The Badgers came into the season with high expectations, but back-to-back last-minute losses to Michigan State and Ohio State derailed their national championship dreams.
“There are no weaknesses on that football team,” Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill said. “They are two plays away from being top two or three in the country, maybe the top team in the country.”
Wisconsin’s senior quarterback Russell Wilson leads the conference in passing yards and touchdowns.
Wilson played minor league baseball with the Colorado Rockies organization last year and previously was the quarterback for North Carolina State. He had one year of eligibility left and transferred to Wisconsin to play football and attend graduate school.
Kill called him “the difference in their whole football team.”
He added: “He plays on a different level than anybody else in college football.”
The Gophers are coming off two good performances, and the play of their quarterback, MarQueis Gray, has been the difference as well.
Gray notched career-bests in completions, yards and touchdowns last week against MSU. He has progressed slowly through the year, battling cramps and a turf toe injury, but has played the entirety of the last three games.
He appears more comfortable andconfident now than at other points of the season.
“[Gray] has got a lot more confident. He’s become more of a leader instead of a friend. He’s coming out as the leader of the team,” the Gophers’ Devin Crawford-Tufts said.
Crawford-Tufts will return after suffering a quad injury against MSU.
“I hate Wisconsin. I’m excited to play in this game,” he said.
Gray has hooked up with Da’Jon McKnight for 41 receptions on the year, and no other receivers have more than 13 receptions.
The Badgers’ pass defense is second in the conference and its focus will likely be on McKnight.
On the opposite side, Wilson has spread the ball around to his top-two receivers and tight end. Nick Toon and Jared Abbrederis have a combined 1,193 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Safety Kim Royston, who used to play for the Badgers, transferred to Minnesota after the 2007 season. Royston will have the task of trying to defend the Badgers’ high-powered passing attack while balancing coverage in the equally dominant Wisconsin rushing attack.
While the passing game has been successful, the Badgers’ bread and butter has always been their running game, starting with big offensive lineman. That line has blocked well this year, paving the way for Montee Ball’s 1,076 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Gophers’ defense will have its work cut out for it against this bigger, more experienced line. The Badgers’ offensive line averages 320 pounds — bigger than the Green Bay Packers.
The Gophers’ two defensive ends are freshmen, averaging 238 pounds.
“They’re big, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall,” defensive end Ben Perry said. “You’ve got to hit, you play low, you play with leverage and you can play against anybody.”
Wisconsin excels on its third-down conversions, which is one area in which the Gophers’ defense has improved dramatically.
Each week of the Big Ten schedule, Minnesota has reduced its opponent’s third-down success rate, down to only 30 percent against MSU on Saturday.
The Badgers’ run defense has been suspect this year. It has the two leading tacklers in the Big Ten in linebackers Chris Borland and Mike Taylor, but is surrendering 137 yards per game on the ground.
Minnesota’s running backs have not had much success, however. Senior running back Duane Bennett is the only back with a 100-yard game this season. Gray has added two with his scrambling ability, but the Gophers will need to establish the running game to have success Saturday.
Minnesota will have its hands full against a Wisconsin team that has national championship-caliber talent.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/10/badgers-pose-difficult-test-heavy-favorites
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-10
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota hosts the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium to battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. This game will be the 121st in the interstate rivalry and Minnesota hasn’t won since 2003.
The Badgers came into the season with high expectations, but back-to-back last-minute losses to Michigan State and Ohio State derailed their national championship dreams.
“There are no weaknesses on that football team,” Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill said. “They are two plays away from being top two or three in the country, maybe the top team in the country.”
Wisconsin’s senior quarterback Russell Wilson leads the conference in passing yards and touchdowns.
Wilson played minor league baseball with the Colorado Rockies organization last year and previously was the quarterback for North Carolina State. He had one year of eligibility left and transferred to Wisconsin to play football and attend graduate school.
Kill called him “the difference in their whole football team.”
He added: “He plays on a different level than anybody else in college football.”
The Gophers are coming off two good performances, and the play of their quarterback, MarQueis Gray, has been the difference as well.
Gray notched career-bests in completions, yards and touchdowns last week against MSU. He has progressed slowly through the year, battling cramps and a turf toe injury, but has played the entirety of the last three games.
He appears more comfortable andconfident now than at other points of the season.
“[Gray] has got a lot more confident. He’s become more of a leader instead of a friend. He’s coming out as the leader of the team,” the Gophers’ Devin Crawford-Tufts said.
Crawford-Tufts will return after suffering a quad injury against MSU.
“I hate Wisconsin. I’m excited to play in this game,” he said.
Gray has hooked up with Da’Jon McKnight for 41 receptions on the year, and no other receivers have more than 13 receptions.
The Badgers’ pass defense is second in the conference and its focus will likely be on McKnight.
On the opposite side, Wilson has spread the ball around to his top-two receivers and tight end. Nick Toon and Jared Abbrederis have a combined 1,193 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Safety Kim Royston, who used to play for the Badgers, transferred to Minnesota after the 2007 season. Royston will have the task of trying to defend the Badgers’ high-powered passing attack while balancing coverage in the equally dominant Wisconsin rushing attack.
While the passing game has been successful, the Badgers’ bread and butter has always been their running game, starting with big offensive lineman. That line has blocked well this year, paving the way for Montee Ball’s 1,076 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Gophers’ defense will have its work cut out for it against this bigger, more experienced line. The Badgers’ offensive line averages 320 pounds — bigger than the Green Bay Packers.
The Gophers’ two defensive ends are freshmen, averaging 238 pounds.
“They’re big, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall,” defensive end Ben Perry said. “You’ve got to hit, you play low, you play with leverage and you can play against anybody.”
Wisconsin excels on its third-down conversions, which is one area in which the Gophers’ defense has improved dramatically.
Each week of the Big Ten schedule, Minnesota has reduced its opponent’s third-down success rate, down to only 30 percent against MSU on Saturday.
The Badgers’ run defense has been suspect this year. It has the two leading tacklers in the Big Ten in linebackers Chris Borland and Mike Taylor, but is surrendering 137 yards per game on the ground.
Minnesota’s running backs have not had much success, however. Senior running back Duane Bennett is the only back with a 100-yard game this season. Gray has added two with his scrambling ability, but the Gophers will need to establish the running game to have success Saturday.
Minnesota will have its hands full against a Wisconsin team that has national championship-caliber talent.
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Gophers show improvement in loss to MSU
Minnesota took a close 31-24 loss in East Lansing.
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-07
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota fought hard in East Lansing, but came up short against Michigan State, losing 31-24.
Quarterback MarQueis Gray had a career day against the Spartans’ defense. He threw for 295 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. The yardage was a career high, as were his 19 completions.
“I would like a win, but other than that it was a nice game. The win would’ve felt better,” Gray said.
Senior wide receiver Da’Jon McKnight had a career day as well, with nine receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage was a career-high, and the receptions and touchdowns tied his career-highs.
The Gophers had a chance to tie the game with 2:22 remaining. Gray and the offense took over the ball on Minnesota’s own 10-yard line. After driving down the field, Gray was intercepted for the second time by Trenton Robinson, which sealed the Spartan victory.
The last time the Gophers played in the state of Michigan, they were blown out 58-0 in Ann Arbor. Saturday’s game in East Lansing featured a different Minnesota team.
“I think we’ve made quite a bit [of progress],” head coach Jerry Kill said. “I do think we are getting better. We found a way to win last week. I wish we would’ve found a way to win today.”
He said he felt confident until the last play Minnesota could tie the score and send it to overtime.
The Gophers’ defense had a big turnover early that changed the momentum of the game, but was unable to hold off the Spartans’ passing attack over the course of the day.
Spartans’ senior quarterback Kirk Cousins finished the game with 296 yards passing and two touchdowns.
The Gophers’ offensive line double-teamed the Spartans’ All-American defensive tackle Jerel Worthy most of the day, which allowed Gray time in the pocket.
Worthy plugged up the middle of the field, holding Minnesota running backs to only 45 yards rushing, but Gray was able to exploit the defense through the air.
The game started with a flurry of scores. None of the first four scoring drives lasted longer than two minutes.
The only break in the first half tempo was when Minnesota used an eight-minute drive and some MSU penalties to bend the Spartans’ touted defense and score a field goal to take a 17-14 lead.
At the start of the game, Gray hit McKnight for a 64-yard touchdown four minutes into the first quarter. McKnight broke three tackles on the 55-yard scamper after his catch.
Minnesota had not scored first in any of its Big Ten games, but did so Saturday.
MSU quickly struck back with a 69-yard bomb from Cousins to B.J. Cunningham that put the Spartans inside the 10-yard line, and Cousins followed that up with a 4-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7.
Cunningham was held without a catch in his previous game Oct. 29 against Nebraska. The Spartans were only able to put up 3 points in that game. He rebounded Saturday with 104 yards receiving against Minnesota.
The first half ended with a 51-second, 74-yard touchdown drive that gave MSU a 21-17 lead.
The Gophers’ offense broke through in the second half when Gray threw his third touchdown pass to McKnight halfway through the quarter to take a 24-21 lead.
“I think I got open because of the threat of MarQueis Gray. The defense focused on him and I got behind the defense,” McKnight said.
Minnesota played strong defense in the second half, but came up short in the fourth quarter. Each series, they bent but were able to keep from breaking.
Minnesota stopped MSU on a second-half series, but extended the drive with a 15-yard roughing the kicker penalty. The Gophers’ defense stood strong again though and forced MSU to punt after a 12-yard sack by Gary Tinsley.
“The defense did a great job today. We came out ready from the start. Everybody was focused before the game. We swarmed to the ball,” Tinsley said.
Minnesota’s defense even stopped MSU on a short field after a turnover, and the Spartans had to settle for a field goal to tie the game at 24.
The Gophers’ defense made many stops on the afternoon, but allowed sporadic large gains throughout the game.
Gray had looked sharp all day, but threw an interception late in the third quarter that let MSU gain some momentum and changed the course of the game.
Spartan running back Le’Veon Bell scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 35-yard power run with 10:58 left in the game.
The Spartans’ second-ranked defense was able to dig in its heels and make a stand against Minnesota in the fourth quarter, where they held Minnesota scoreless.
The Spartans now have a 14-game home winning streak and haven’t lost at Spartan Stadium since 2009.
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ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/05/gophers-play-well-take-loss-michigan-state
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-07
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota fought hard in East Lansing, but came up short against Michigan State, losing 31-24.
Quarterback MarQueis Gray had a career day against the Spartans’ defense. He threw for 295 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. The yardage was a career high, as were his 19 completions.
“I would like a win, but other than that it was a nice game. The win would’ve felt better,” Gray said.
Senior wide receiver Da’Jon McKnight had a career day as well, with nine receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage was a career-high, and the receptions and touchdowns tied his career-highs.
The Gophers had a chance to tie the game with 2:22 remaining. Gray and the offense took over the ball on Minnesota’s own 10-yard line. After driving down the field, Gray was intercepted for the second time by Trenton Robinson, which sealed the Spartan victory.
The last time the Gophers played in the state of Michigan, they were blown out 58-0 in Ann Arbor. Saturday’s game in East Lansing featured a different Minnesota team.
“I think we’ve made quite a bit [of progress],” head coach Jerry Kill said. “I do think we are getting better. We found a way to win last week. I wish we would’ve found a way to win today.”
He said he felt confident until the last play Minnesota could tie the score and send it to overtime.
The Gophers’ defense had a big turnover early that changed the momentum of the game, but was unable to hold off the Spartans’ passing attack over the course of the day.
Spartans’ senior quarterback Kirk Cousins finished the game with 296 yards passing and two touchdowns.
The Gophers’ offensive line double-teamed the Spartans’ All-American defensive tackle Jerel Worthy most of the day, which allowed Gray time in the pocket.
Worthy plugged up the middle of the field, holding Minnesota running backs to only 45 yards rushing, but Gray was able to exploit the defense through the air.
The game started with a flurry of scores. None of the first four scoring drives lasted longer than two minutes.
The only break in the first half tempo was when Minnesota used an eight-minute drive and some MSU penalties to bend the Spartans’ touted defense and score a field goal to take a 17-14 lead.
At the start of the game, Gray hit McKnight for a 64-yard touchdown four minutes into the first quarter. McKnight broke three tackles on the 55-yard scamper after his catch.
Minnesota had not scored first in any of its Big Ten games, but did so Saturday.
MSU quickly struck back with a 69-yard bomb from Cousins to B.J. Cunningham that put the Spartans inside the 10-yard line, and Cousins followed that up with a 4-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7.
Cunningham was held without a catch in his previous game Oct. 29 against Nebraska. The Spartans were only able to put up 3 points in that game. He rebounded Saturday with 104 yards receiving against Minnesota.
The first half ended with a 51-second, 74-yard touchdown drive that gave MSU a 21-17 lead.
The Gophers’ offense broke through in the second half when Gray threw his third touchdown pass to McKnight halfway through the quarter to take a 24-21 lead.
“I think I got open because of the threat of MarQueis Gray. The defense focused on him and I got behind the defense,” McKnight said.
Minnesota played strong defense in the second half, but came up short in the fourth quarter. Each series, they bent but were able to keep from breaking.
Minnesota stopped MSU on a second-half series, but extended the drive with a 15-yard roughing the kicker penalty. The Gophers’ defense stood strong again though and forced MSU to punt after a 12-yard sack by Gary Tinsley.
“The defense did a great job today. We came out ready from the start. Everybody was focused before the game. We swarmed to the ball,” Tinsley said.
Minnesota’s defense even stopped MSU on a short field after a turnover, and the Spartans had to settle for a field goal to tie the game at 24.
The Gophers’ defense made many stops on the afternoon, but allowed sporadic large gains throughout the game.
Gray had looked sharp all day, but threw an interception late in the third quarter that let MSU gain some momentum and changed the course of the game.
Spartan running back Le’Veon Bell scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 35-yard power run with 10:58 left in the game.
The Spartans’ second-ranked defense was able to dig in its heels and make a stand against Minnesota in the fourth quarter, where they held Minnesota scoreless.
The Spartans now have a 14-game home winning streak and haven’t lost at Spartan Stadium since 2009.
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Quick Hitters
Quick hitters
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-03
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota had its most effective passing game in completion rate (64.7) and yards per attempt (11.4) last week against Iowa.
MarQueis Gray showed improvements last week as a player and a leader.
“I’m not used to being [a vocal leader],” Gray said. “It worked Saturday, so I’m going to have to keep doing it.”
Gray will face a tough Michigan State defense that is ranked second in the nation overall and first in passing defense.
Spartans safety Isaiah Lewis leads the Big Ten with four interceptions, and has returned two of those for touchdowns. He is familiar with Gray, as they were teammates at Ben Davis high school in Indiana.
Minnesota had three sacks last week and has eight on the year. Michigan State has 25 sacks this season for a total of 180 yards lost.
The Gophers’ offensive line has been a hodgepodge of players because of numerous injuries. It will face a stout Spartans defensive line led by All-American defensive tackle Jerel Worthy.
“It’s a challenge,” offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said. “They’re very good. If you try to spend your whole day trying to solo up on those guys, you’ll be in for a long day,”
Michigan State has relied primarily on its passing game for offense. It ranks last in the Big Ten in rushing with 133 yards per game.
Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins is ranked third in the Big Ten in passing offense.
“That kid alone is worth six or seven victories just because of who he is,” Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill said.
Michigan State receiver B.J. Cunningham ranks third in the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.0) and receiving yards per game (90.4), but failed to register a single reception last week against Nebraska. That broke his streak of 41 consecutive games with at least one catch.
Minnesota’s defense decreased its opponent’s third-down conversion rate for the fifth- straight week. The Gophers held Iowa to a 36 percent success rate on third down.
4Jordan Wettstein will get his second- straight start kicking for Minnesota. Chris Hawthorne is still nursing a muscle strain and will miss Saturday’s game.
4Michigan State linebacker William Gholston had a career-high 15 tackles last week against Nebraska and is third on the team in sacks. He is the cousin of former Big Ten standout Vernon Gholston.
ALL CONTENT © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/03/quick-hitters
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-03
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
Minnesota had its most effective passing game in completion rate (64.7) and yards per attempt (11.4) last week against Iowa.
MarQueis Gray showed improvements last week as a player and a leader.
“I’m not used to being [a vocal leader],” Gray said. “It worked Saturday, so I’m going to have to keep doing it.”
Gray will face a tough Michigan State defense that is ranked second in the nation overall and first in passing defense.
Spartans safety Isaiah Lewis leads the Big Ten with four interceptions, and has returned two of those for touchdowns. He is familiar with Gray, as they were teammates at Ben Davis high school in Indiana.
Minnesota had three sacks last week and has eight on the year. Michigan State has 25 sacks this season for a total of 180 yards lost.
The Gophers’ offensive line has been a hodgepodge of players because of numerous injuries. It will face a stout Spartans defensive line led by All-American defensive tackle Jerel Worthy.
“It’s a challenge,” offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said. “They’re very good. If you try to spend your whole day trying to solo up on those guys, you’ll be in for a long day,”
Michigan State has relied primarily on its passing game for offense. It ranks last in the Big Ten in rushing with 133 yards per game.
Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins is ranked third in the Big Ten in passing offense.
“That kid alone is worth six or seven victories just because of who he is,” Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill said.
Michigan State receiver B.J. Cunningham ranks third in the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.0) and receiving yards per game (90.4), but failed to register a single reception last week against Nebraska. That broke his streak of 41 consecutive games with at least one catch.
Minnesota’s defense decreased its opponent’s third-down conversion rate for the fifth- straight week. The Gophers held Iowa to a 36 percent success rate on third down.
4Jordan Wettstein will get his second- straight start kicking for Minnesota. Chris Hawthorne is still nursing a muscle strain and will miss Saturday’s game.
4Michigan State linebacker William Gholston had a career-high 15 tackles last week against Nebraska and is third on the team in sacks. He is the cousin of former Big Ten standout Vernon Gholston.
ALL CONTENT © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/03/quick-hitters
Gophers rout SCSU in opening night exhibition victory
Freshman Rachel Banham thrived after struggling early in her first collegiate game.
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-03
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
The Minnesota women’s basketball team used its superior size and athletic ability to rout St. Cloud State 86-51 in its exhibition opener.
“We had six players in double figures, a lot of offensive weapons and a lot of versatility out there. I’m pleased with our effort tonight,” head coach Pam Borton said.
Kiara Buford made the first shot of the night and followed that up with a 3-pointer on the next possession. The senior guard took on numerous roles, playing both distributor and scorer.
Buford finished with 14 points, three rebounds and six assists.
“There were times when we were clicking and you see glimpses of excellence,” Buford said. “Our younger girls did really well.”
Freshman Rachel Banham received a large ovation during team announcements and showcased some of her talents early while also displaying her inexperience.
A sequence that summed up her early performance occurred midway through the first half. Banham was stripped of the ball but hustled down the floor to block the opposing layup. On the ensuing possession, she drove the length of the court for an unassisted layup.
SCSU switched to a zone defense with eight minutes remaining in the first half to which Banham had difficulties adjusting.
“It was an awkward zone,” Banham said. “For a while I was really confused. We just had to break it down.”
Minnesota led 38-23 at halftime.
In the second half, Banham used her speed to penetrate the zone and create for her teammates and herself. She elevated her play to the level that was expected out of Minnesota’s top recruit.
“I was really nervous at first, but once I got out there and got in to the rhythm of everything, I was really excited,” Banham said.
Banham started just 2-for-8 shooting, but finished the night with 11 points and six assists and four turnovers. She added three steals and two blocks.
The Gophers dominated the game with their size and quickness. They out-rebounded the Huskies 49-34, had 14 steals and continually beat the Huskies down the court in transition for high-percentage baskets.
Junior Leah Cotton ran at a higher speed than most others on the court. She had four steals and followed two of them with layups. Cotton finished with 11 points.
Sophomores Micaella Riche and Sari Noga provided Minnesota with rebounding and outside shooting. Riche had 11 points and seven rebounds, and Noga added 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.
ALL CONTENT © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/03/gophers-rout-scsu-opening-night-exhibition-victory
PUBLISHED: 2011-11-03
ADAM RICHARD arichard@mndaily.com
The Minnesota women’s basketball team used its superior size and athletic ability to rout St. Cloud State 86-51 in its exhibition opener.
“We had six players in double figures, a lot of offensive weapons and a lot of versatility out there. I’m pleased with our effort tonight,” head coach Pam Borton said.
Kiara Buford made the first shot of the night and followed that up with a 3-pointer on the next possession. The senior guard took on numerous roles, playing both distributor and scorer.
Buford finished with 14 points, three rebounds and six assists.
“There were times when we were clicking and you see glimpses of excellence,” Buford said. “Our younger girls did really well.”
Freshman Rachel Banham received a large ovation during team announcements and showcased some of her talents early while also displaying her inexperience.
A sequence that summed up her early performance occurred midway through the first half. Banham was stripped of the ball but hustled down the floor to block the opposing layup. On the ensuing possession, she drove the length of the court for an unassisted layup.
SCSU switched to a zone defense with eight minutes remaining in the first half to which Banham had difficulties adjusting.
“It was an awkward zone,” Banham said. “For a while I was really confused. We just had to break it down.”
Minnesota led 38-23 at halftime.
In the second half, Banham used her speed to penetrate the zone and create for her teammates and herself. She elevated her play to the level that was expected out of Minnesota’s top recruit.
“I was really nervous at first, but once I got out there and got in to the rhythm of everything, I was really excited,” Banham said.
Banham started just 2-for-8 shooting, but finished the night with 11 points and six assists and four turnovers. She added three steals and two blocks.
The Gophers dominated the game with their size and quickness. They out-rebounded the Huskies 49-34, had 14 steals and continually beat the Huskies down the court in transition for high-percentage baskets.
Junior Leah Cotton ran at a higher speed than most others on the court. She had four steals and followed two of them with layups. Cotton finished with 11 points.
Sophomores Micaella Riche and Sari Noga provided Minnesota with rebounding and outside shooting. Riche had 11 points and seven rebounds, and Noga added 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.
ALL CONTENT © 1900 - 2011
ARTICLE URL: http://www.mndaily.com/2011/11/03/gophers-rout-scsu-opening-night-exhibition-victory
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