Borton sees progress, and there's help on the way

The Gophers women's basketball team has suffered back-to-back losing seasons, although to coach Pam Borton the similarities end there.

In 2009-10, with an experienced, senior-laden lineup minus only one starter from an NCAA tournament team the previous year, the Gophers surprisingly finished last in the Big Ten. This season, Borton said, was earmarked for rebuilding several years ago.

"Nobody expected last year to happen," Borton said. "I'm not sure we had the mental toughness to get through what we went through, and that's on me. ... This year, I think we have more talent, I think we're playing better basketball, and I think we're playing a better style of basketball. I can see in our kids, some of our younger kids, that we have the talent here."

The Gophers lost their first seven Big Ten games but had double-digit second-half leads in four of them. Minnesota is 4-11 in conference play, but nine of those losses have been by single digits.

Borton believes future building blocks in the post are in place with such players as sophomore center Katie Loberg, freshman Kionna Kellogg, a starter since midway through the Big Ten season, and reserves Micaella Riche and Amber Dvorak. This year's top two scorers, guards Kiara Buford and Leah Cotton, both return. And incoming freshmen Rachel Banham (Lakeville North), a point guard, and Kayla Kirt (Bemidji), a forward, are ranked among the nation's top 100 high school seniors.

Several prominent state high school coaches say they share Borton's optimism about the Gophers' future.

"I think their post players have come a long way this season," Lakeville North coach Andy Berkvam said. "I think the whole team is playing much better from what I saw in December."

"You can't expect a freshman to come in and be a savior," he said. "I do think she's going to help. And Kayla Hirt is a phenomenal offensive player. I think they have the pieces to contend in the Big Ten."

There's more reason for optimism in the future, provided Borton can keep top players from leaving the state. Berkvam and Brian Cosgriff of Hopkins say Minnesota's high school sophomore class, led by Nia Coffey of Hopkins and Rebekah Dahlman of Braham, is the state's deepest in Division I talent in years.

But the Gophers' lack of recent success could be an obstacle.