First game
Gophers at a glance: After beating Washington State and Villanova in last weekend's Best Buy Classic, the Gophers could be 3-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 season with a win Saturday. Coach Pam Borton needs two victories to reach 200 for her Gophers career; she is the winningest coach in program history with a 198-125 record in 11 seasons. Junior F Micaella Riche is averaging a team-high 24.5 points and 10 rebounds. She was named Big Ten player of the week for the first time after a stellar opening weekend in which she shot 68 percent. The return of senior F Katie Loberg from a minor knee injury puts the Gophers at full strength.
Bobcats at a glance: Ohio beat Cleveland State 63-56 in its season opener Tuesday. Three starters scored in double figures, including senior forward Tina Fisher (10 points, nine rebounds), a native of Cottage Grove. Preseason predictions have the Bobcats, 14-18 last season, finishing fourth in the Mid-American Conference's East Division. Head coach Semeka Randall was an assistant at Michigan State from 2004-07.
Second game
Black Bears at a glance: Maine is 0-3 this season, losing to Auburn, Wofford and Syracuse. It returns two starters from last season's 8-23 team: G Courtney Anderson and F Danielle Walczak, both sophomores. Nine players are new this season, and they come from seven countries: Serbia, Israel, Sweden, Finland, Germany, England and the U.S. The Black Bears are being outscored by 19 points per game (72.7-53.7) and are led by junior guard Ashleigh Roberts, averaging 13.7 points per game.
Rebels at a glance: UNLV enters the tournament with a 1-1 record, defeating California-Santa Barbara 58-52 but losing to Arizona 83-82. Senior G Kelli Thompson, the only returning starter, is averaging 21.5 points and eight rebounds per game, both team bests; she has 1,319 career points, 12th on the school's all-time scoring list. Junior Rmanii Haynes has replaced injured Mia Bell at point guard and is thriving, averaging 8.5 points, 10 assists and two steals per game.
RACHEL BLOUNT
