To noÂbodÂy's surÂprise, the GoÂphers rolled over winless InÂcarÂnate Word in a WednesÂday matÂiÂnee at WilÂliams Arena.
The crowd of 7,835 — augÂmentÂed by thouÂsands of elÂeÂmenÂtaÂry school stuÂdents for the annuÂal Field Trip Day — saw all 11 healÂthy GoÂphers play in a 75-39 route that pushed the 14th-ranked GoÂphers to 8-0. With three nonÂconÂferÂence games left — inÂcludÂing what promÂisÂes to be a chalÂlenge at BosÂton College on SunÂday — the GoÂphers are in a good poÂsiÂtion to head into Big Ten play with conÂfiÂdence.
And that's mainÂly beÂcause of the deÂfense.
In LindÂsay Whalen's first year as coach, the GoÂphers have transÂformed themÂselves into a deÂfenÂsive team feaÂturÂing a tight playÂer-to-playÂer scheme. In reÂcent seasÂons, the GoÂphers played a lot of zone, wantÂing to outÂscore opÂpoÂnents rathÂer than shut them down.
This season? The GoÂphers enÂtered WednesÂday's game ranked seventh aÂmong Division I teams in points alÂlowed per game (50.4), sevÂenth in points alÂlowed per 100 posÂsesÂsions (93.3) and 24th in opÂpoÂnent field-goal perÂcentÂage (33.8). And those figÂures will imÂprove afÂter InÂcarÂnate Word scored 39 points on 22.7 percent shootÂing.
ComÂpare that to last season, when the GoÂphers ranked 333rd (out of 349 teams) in points alÂlowed (74.8), 263rd in points per 100 posÂsesÂsions (97.2) and 285th in opÂpoÂnent field-goal perÂcentÂage (42.4).
"The deÂfense has been there," Whalen said. "We foÂcused a lot on deÂfense throughÂout the sumÂmer and fall. So it's not shocking that mayÂbe a little of our ofÂfense is tryÂing to catch up with our deÂfense. But we feel [deÂfense] can be a corÂnerÂstone of our team and our proÂgram going forÂward."
The ofÂfense has been up and down. But WednesÂday the GoÂphers startÂed the game with a 12-0 run that feaÂtured cenÂter Annalese Lamke with seven early points. ForÂcing the Cardinals (0-9) to double down low opÂened up the peÂrimÂeÂter, reÂsulÂting in DesÂtiÂny Pitts breakÂing out a bit, hitÂting five of nine three-pointÂers for a game-high 15 points. Lamke finÂished with 13. FreshÂman guard Mercedes StaÂples addÂed 11 points and four asÂsists.
Angelica Wiggins — the sister of Wolves forward Andrew Wiggins — led Incarnate Word with 13 points.
Up 32-11 at halfÂtime, the GoÂphers scored 32 third-quarÂter points on 10-for-14 shootÂing beÂfore Whalen played mostÂly reÂserves in the fourth.
It's hard to tell exÂactÂly where the GoÂphers are at this point, conÂsidÂerÂing the relÂaÂtive strength of the schedÂule. The GoÂphers got a big win over then-No. 12 Syracuse last week, and quality vicÂtoÂries over XaÂviÂer and San Diego, too.
But the one conÂstant has been the deÂfense. And Lamke isn't surÂprised.
"We reÂalÂly saw the defiÂcits in our deÂfense from last year," she said. "I think we were reÂalÂly exÂcitÂed to get the opÂporÂtuÂniÂty to foÂcus a lot on deÂfense."
Whalen said she's most pleased by the deÂfense, and how well the team has folÂlowed game plans. She also likes the way her team has reÂspondÂed to points of emÂphaÂsis comÂing out of games. For exÂamÂple, Whalen wasn't pleased with her team's asÂsist total (eight) and free-throw shootÂing (20-for-39) in SunÂday's vicÂtoÂry over Air Force. WednesÂday the GoÂphers had 22 asÂsists on 29 field goals and were 9-for-9 from the line.
"That's the sign of a good team and smart playÂers," Whalen said, "that we adÂdressed someÂthing, worked on it in pracÂtice and saw it in a game."
The GoÂphers game SunÂday at BosÂton College (7-1) will be perÂhaps the best test beÂfore the conÂferÂence oÂpenÂer. It will be on the road against an ACC team off to a strong start. AfÂter that the GoÂphers host CopÂpin State (0-6) and Rhode Island (5-2) beÂfore the Big Ten oÂpenÂer vs. WisÂconÂsin (7-2) on Dec. 28, also at home.