Gophers women get home cooking on road

Marlin Levison, Star Tribune file

Gophers guard Emily Fox gets a chance to play in her home state of Colorado today and Saturday.

Pam Borton fulfilled a promise to Emily Fox by playing a game in her home state of Colorado; she thanked her by feeding the team.

By RACHEL BLOUNT, Star Tribune

Last update: November 28, 2008 - 7:15 AM

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The planning started long ago, when Bob and Jill Fox learned the Gophers' women's basketball team would be having Thanksgiving dinner at their Colorado home. The food preparation began earlier this week, with friends and relatives enlisted to roast four or five turkeys along with the usual accompaniments.

Today, their daughter Emily will lead her team's calorie-burning effort as her homecoming weekend continues. Gophers coach Pam Borton fulfilled a longtime promise to the senior guard by scheduling her team to play in Fox's home state.

The Gophers face Drexel tonight in the first game of the Colorado Coors Classic in Boulder, then play either Colorado or Massachusetts in the championship or third-place game Saturday.

"She always said she would get me home," said Fox, who leads the Gophers with 14.2 points and 4.2 assists per game. "The last time I played in that gym was my senior year, in the state championship game. We won. It should be a lot of fun."

Fox won three Colorado Class 5A high school titles with ThunderRidge High School in her hometown of Highlands Ranch, south of Denver. Her parents still live there. On Thanksgiving Day, they served dinner to about 50 guests -- basketball players, coaches and staff, as well as relatives and friends.

Borton had worked for two years to schedule a game in Colorado. She had looked into playing at Colorado State or Northern Colorado, then found out the Buffaloes had an opening in their tournament.

"I think it was important for us to get Emmy back home to play in front of family and friends," Borton said. "For her senior year, for us to be able to do that is going to be very, very special.

"She's playing the best basketball she's played since she's been here. She's playing very under control, and she's worried about getting a little better each day. Now, she's making people around her better, which is going to be key to the season."