Gophers women's basketball vs. Rhode Island • 3 p.m. • No TV, 96.7-FM
Preview: Both teams return to action after extended breaks. Rhode Island (5-5), playing in Minneapolis for the first time, has been idle since a 65-51 loss at home to Hartford on Dec. 11. The loss was the Rams' third straight. The No. 13 Gophers (10-0) are playing for the first time since an 84-52 victory over Coppin State at home on Dec. 12. The Gophers are playing the final nonconference game on their schedule; they open Big Ten Conference play on Dec. 28 at home against Wisconsin. The Gophers won at Rhode Island 82-60 last season. Saturday's game will be streamed on BTN Plus.
Players to watch: Junior G Elemy Colome leads the Rams in scoring (14.6 points per game). Junior G Davida Dale is averaging 13.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. C Nicole Jorgensen, a 6-5 junior, is averaging 12.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Senior G Kenisha Bell, who has scored at least 20 points five teams, leads the Gophers in scoring (18.6 points per game). Sophomore G/F Destiny Pitts, who is 15-for-21 on three-pointers in her past three games, is averaging 13.8 points per game. Junior F Taiye Bello, who has had five double-doubles, is averaging 9.9 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.
Numbers: Rhode Island leads the Atlantic 10 conference in blocked shots per game (5.9). The Gophers' 10-0 start is third-best in school history. They started the 2003-04 season with 15 consecutive victories and opened the 2002-03 season by winning their first 12 games.
