Buckeyes Too Much to Handle for Gophers

Columbus, OH (Gophersports.com) - Bryanna Fernstrom had a double-double in her Minnesota debut, and the Gophers outrebounded Ohio State, but it was not enough as they fell 87-62 on the road in their Big Ten opener.

Fernstrom, who just completed her redshirt year, tallied 10 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota (9-5, 0-1 Big Ten). Whitney Tinjum pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds as part of the Gophers’ 56-55 edge on the boards.

Kenisha Bell led the team with 14 points, and Carlie Wagner had 12. Joanna Hedstrom added 10. Minnesota shot 28.6 percent for the game, and even after the Buckeyes (11-4, 1-0 Big Ten) cooled down after a hot start, Ohio State outshot the Gophers by 10.1 percentage points.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 23 points for the home team. Linnae Harper and Stephanie Mavunga scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter: Jessie Edwards scored the Gophers’ first four points for an early 4-2 lead. The Buckeyes went on a run as Minnesota made one of its first 11 field goal attempts. The Gophers made four of their next eight shots, including two 3-pointers from Joanna Hedstrom. But Mitchell made four triples in the first to highlight the Buckeyes’ 29-18 lead.

Second Quarter: Minnesota struck back after an Ohio State run. The Buckeyes started the second on a run to lead 38-18. A three-point play by Bell at the 6:07 mark snapped the Gophers’ drought, and they soon went on an 8-0 run to bring the score to 40-29. Fernstrom scored three times in the quarter, and a pair of Wagner free throws cut it to single digits at 42-33. But Harper scored twice late to give the Buckeyes a 46-33 halftime lead.

Third Quarter: Ohio State took advantage of turnovers and pushed the lead to 22 points by the end of the quarter, 65-43.

Fourth Quarter: The Gophers and Buckeyes played close to an even fourth quarter, and Minnesota could not gain ground.

MORE NOTES
*Fernstrom was the fifth Gopher to score in double figures in her debut this season. Gadiva Hubbard (16), Jasmine Brunson (15) and Whitney Tinjum (15) previously did so against Harvard. Kenisha Bell scored 24 points at VCU.
*Fernstrom is the fifth different Gopher to record a double-double this season.
*Bell has scored in double figures in all of her 13 games.
*Edwards has 72 career blocks after tallying one on Wednesday and is one away from tying for 10th in program history.

COMING UP NEXT
The Gophers return to Minneapolis to host No. 4/3 Maryland on Sunday, Jan. 1. Rachel Banham’s jersey will be retired prior the 5 p.m. CT tipoff. Banham will have a pregame autograph session, and replica banners will be given away on a first come, first served basis.