U women gameday: Gophers at Santa Clara

Last update: November 15, 2008 - 9:34 PM

Preview: The Broncos finished 20-11 last season, including an 11-4 start under new head coach Jennifer Mountain. They return two starters and four reserves from that team and are picked to finish fifth in the West Coast Conference. The Gophers are 3-0 against Santa Clara, with the teams last meeting in 2004.

Players to watch: Junior college transfer Lena Gipson was named All-America last season as she helped Fresno City College to a 35-3 record. A sophomore, she led the Broncos with 16 points and 13 rebounds in an exhibition victory over the Melbourne Roos. Elizabeth Doran is the top returning three-point shooter on a team that puts up lots of long-distance shots; she made 56 of 142 attempts last season. Santa Clara was seventh in the nation last season with 7.7 three-pointers made per game.

Late Friday: The Gophers opened their season against a nationally ranked opponent for the first time, giving No. 2 Stanford a run before losing 68-55 at Maples Pavilion. Katie Ohm scored 15 points and Zoe Harper 12 for the Gophers, with Ohm's long-range shooting keeping the Gophers close in the second half. "We had our chances to pull out a win," Gophers coach Pam Borton said. "I liked our effort, especially in the second [half]."

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