Gophers roundup: Women’s basketball team loses to Alabama in Bahamas finale

Alabama withstood a strong second-half comeback by the Gophers women’s basketball team and held on for a 63-58 victory in the championship game of the Junkanoo Division of the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship on Wednesday in Nassau, Bahamas.

The Crimson Tide (7-0) led by 13 points in the first minute of the second half, but Grace Grocholski and Brylee Glenn sparked a rally by the Gophers (5-2). Grocholski scored 16 of her team-high 18 points in the second half and Glenn scored nine of her 13 points after halftime as the Gophers twice took one-point leads before falling short.

The Crimson Tide, who led 27-17 at halftime, led 30-17 in the first minute of the third quarter before Grocholski scored 11 points to fuel a 26-12 run by the Gophers. Grocholski’s layup with 43 seconds left in the third quarter capped the run and gave the Gophers a 43-42 lead, their first lead since 4-3 early in the first quarter.

The Crimson Tide led 52-48 with seven minutes remaining before a Grocholski field goal and three-pointer gave the Gophers a 53-52 lead with six minutes left.

Alabama regained the lead with 4:39 left on a three-pointer by Jessica Timmons. After a layup by Grocholski with 49 seconds remaining pulled the Gophers within 59-58, Timmons scored with 31 seconds left to make it 61-58. Timmons made two free throws with five seconds left to seal the victory.

Timmons and Essence Cody each scored 18 points to lead the Crimson Tide. Mara Braun added nine points and Sophie Hart contributed eight points and 11 rebounds — matching her career high — for the Gophers.

Cody, a 6-4 junior forward, scored all 10 of her first-half points the first quarter to help the Crimson Tide open a 16-8 lead after 10 minutes. After the Gophers had pulled within 8-6 midway through the quarter, Cody scored eight consecutive points as Alabama opened a 16-6 lead.

The Gophers were without sophomore guard Tori McKinney (concussion protocol) for the second consecutive game.

It was the first meeting between the Gophers and Alabama, which has reached the NCAA tournament the past three seasons and four of the past five. Alabama coach Kristy Curry had an 8-5 record against the Gophers when she coached at Purdue from 1999-2006.

Julia Hanson had 19 kills and Kelly Kinney had 14 kills as the No. 18 Gophers volleyball team defeated No. 11 Purdue 25-21, 28-26, 14-25, 25-22 at Maturi Pavilion.

Hanson, a senior from Prior Lake, had seven kills in the fourth set as she increased her career total to 991 kills.

After winning the first set, the Gophers (22-8, 12-7 Big Ten) had to rally in the second set. Purdue led 24-22 and 25-24 before the Gophers tied it 25-25. With the score tied 26-26, Hanson’s kill gave the Gophers a 27-26 lead. An attack error by Purdue closed out the set.

The teams were tied 17-17 in the fourth set before two kills from Hanson and an attack error by Purdue gave the Gophers a 20-17 lead. Trailing 24-20, Purdue got within 24-22, but an attack error gave the Gophers the victory.

Akasha Anderson had 19 kills and Grace Heaney had 14 kills for the Boilermakers.

Last month in West Lafayette, Ind., Purdue rallied from a two-set deficit to defeat the Gophers 19-25, 17-25, 27-25, 25-21, 18-16.

The Gophers close out the regular season by playing host to No. 10 Wisconsin on Friday.

No. 17 South Dakota State won the final two matches to defeat the No. 7 Gophers wrestling team 18-14 on Tuesday at Williams Arena.