gophers women gameday
2 P.M. VS. Michigan State • Williams ARENA • 1500-AM
Gophers preview: Minnesota (17-6, 6-5 Big Ten) returns home searching for an answer to its recent woes. After a 26-point loss at Illinois on Thursday — a game in which the Gophers twice cut the deficit to three points in the second half — the Gophers have lost four of their past five, this coming after a program-best 16-2 start to the season. ... After back-to-back road losses, maybe the Gophers simply need to get back in the Barn, where they'll play four of their next five. They're 9-2 at home this season, averaging 82.8 points per game with a 12.9-point average margin of victory. ... Another possible key to turning things around? Getting senior Shae Kelley more involved in the offense. The Gophers are 5-0 in league play when Kelley leads the team in scoring. In Big Ten play, she's averaging 10.8 points more in Minnesota wins than losses. … The game is not televised but will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
Spartans preview: Michigan State (11-12, 3-9) also comes into Sunday's game following back-to-back losses — the most recent of which came Thursday, 72-59 against Michigan. ... The Spartans are led by redshirt sophomore Ariel Powers. The 6-0 forward leads the team in both scoring (22.0 points per game) and rebounding (12.2 per game), and her 19 double-doubles are tied for the most in the country this season. She has posted a double-double in each of her past seven games, and 12 of her past 13.
BRYCE EVANS
