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Last update: November 22, 2008 - 1:17 AM

TODAY AND SUNDAY • WILLIAMS ARENA

Today: Yale vs. North Carolina State at 11 a.m.; Gophers vs. American University at 1 p.m.

Sunday: Today's losers at 11 a.m., winners at 1 p.m.

Minnesota (2-1)

The Gophers have won two in a row after opening the season with a 68-55 loss at then-No. 2 Stanford. They are shooting 38.9 percent from the field in three games and have lived off their ball-hawking defense. Katie Ohm leads team with 16.3-point average and has hit 50 percent (16 of 32) of her field-goal attempts. Emily Fox is averaging 12.7 points, and no one else is averaging more than 7.5.

American (3-0)

This was to have been homecoming for former Gophers assistant Melissa McFerrin, but she departed American for head job at Memphis this season. It will still be homecoming for senior starting guard Talicia Jackson (DeLaSalle) and freshman center Alisha Moritz (Crosby-Ironton).

Yale (1-1)

Yale returns four starters from last year's 9-18 team but is coming off a 73-70 loss Tuesday to Bucknell. Yale's strength: strong inside play, outrebounding opponents by an average of 44.5 to 37.0. Weakness: an average 21.5 turnovers a game.

North Carolina State (3-0)

Veteran coach Kay Yow is in her 34th season, coming off a 21-13 record and WNIT Final Four berth a year ago. Senior guard Shayla Fields leads NC State with a 17.3-point average. Junior guard Nikitta Gartrell is averaging 16.3 points.

DENNIS BRACKIN

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