Gopher Women Top Penn State 75-64

MINNEAPOLIS – Amanda Zahui B. notched the second triple double of her career with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocks to lead the University of Minnesota (17-4, 6-3) women’s basketball team to a 75-64 victory over Penn State (5-16, 2-8) Wednesday night at Williams Arena.

Zahui is the first player in program history to post two triple doubles during her career, while her 12 blocks matched the Big Ten single-game record and topped her former program record of 10 blocks set last season.

Along with Zahui, three additional players scored in double figures for the Gophers, led by Shae Kelley’s game-high 18 points. Mikayla Bailey matched her career-highs with 17 points and five three-point field goals, while Carlie Wagner totaled 12 points and connected on three three-pointers.

Shayne Mullaney had seven points and added 12 assists to give the guard her fifth double-digit assist performance in her last six games.

As a team, Minnesota tallied 15 blocks in the contest to match the Gophers’ 34-year-old single-game record set against Iowa on Jan. 30, 1981. The Maroon and Gold also hit 10 three-pointers in the contest to just three for the Lady Lions, while also making 19 free throws.

Minnesota took a 34-29 lead into halftime following a first half of play that saw 10 lead changes and five tied scored, but Penn State opened the second half on an 18-3 run to put the home team down by 12 points, 49-37, with 12:27 to play in the game. But, the Gophers put together a 13-0 run, capped by Bailey’s fifth three-pointer of the game, to put Minnesota on top, 50-49, at the 8:40 mark.

Following Kelley’s basket at 7:48, the Maroon and Gold held on to the lead for the remainder of the contest, eventually pushing its advantage to 11 points in the closing seconds of play.

Minnesota begins a two-game roadswing at Northwestern Sunday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. Coverage on KROC AM begins at 1:30 with the pre-game.