Gophers-Cal Riverside women's basketball game preview

December 22, 2017 at 6:10AM

1 p.m. vs. California Riverside no TV, 93.3-FM

Nonconference finale follows eight-day layoff

Preview: The Gophers, 6-0 at Williams Arena, return to action after an eight-day break for their final nonconference game. The Gophers (10-2) are coming off a 112-68 victory over Cal Poly on Dec. 13. California Riverside is wrapping up a three-game, six-day tour of the Upper Midwest. The Highlanders (3-9) lost at Iowa State 89-66 on Sunday and at South Dakota 75-66 on Tuesday. The Highlanders are 1-6 on the road. The Gophers open Big Ten play on Dec. 28 at Northwestern.

Players to watch: Senior G Michelle Curry, who scored 19 points Tuesday to surpass 1,000 career points, leads the Highlanders in scoring (13.7 points per game). Senior G Lauren Holt is averaging 12.6 points per game and sophomore F Skyler Lewis 9.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Gophers G Kenisha Bell is averaging 20 points per game. F Taiye Bello made her first start of the season against Cal Poly. She had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five steals in 21 minutes.

Numbers: The Gophers made a season-high 16 three-pointers vs. Cal Poly. … The Gophers won 57-49 on Nov. 9, 2007, in their only other game against UC Riverside.

Injury: F Malou Thiebaut De Kergret, one of four players from France on the Highlanders roster, returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing four games with a sprained ankle. She scored 12 points in 22 minutes.

JOEL RIPPEL

about the writer

about the writer

More from Gophers

card image

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck often says, “Start fast, accelerate in the middle and finish strong,’’ a philosophy that can apply to both a game and an entire season.

card image
card image