Final from Williams: #Gophers fall in a nail-biter to #12 Maryland. pic.twitter.com/wxgwIAkRln
— Minnesota Women's Basketball (@GopherWBB) January 11, 2015
The Gophers women’s basketball team was this close to winning its 11th game in a row Sunday afternoon when Maryland’s Brene Moelsey sunk two free throws with 2.8 seconds left to break a tie and escape Williams Arena with a 77-73 win.
Gopher Carlie Wagner had tied the game at 73-73 on a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left on the clock. Moseley was fouled on the ensuing possession, setting up her game-winning free throws, GopherSports.com reports.
The Gophers then threw away the inbounds pass and Mosely made two more free throws with .9 seconds left to give No. 12 Maryland the four-point victory.
It was a challenging game for the higher-ranked Terrapins who shot 39.7 percent from the field – their worst showing this season, according to the Associated Press. Maryland now tops the Big Ten Conference.
It was the first win in the Barn for former Gopher coach Brenda Frese, who is now head coach of Maryland.
Frese coached Minnesota for one season in 2001-02, the Star Tribune reports. In that season, Frese, then Brenda Oldfield, led the Gophers to a 22-8 record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA. The Pioneer Press notes Frese was named the Associated Press coach of the year for turning around the Gophers, who were 8-20 the season prior.
In Sunday’s game the Gophers had an early 10-4 lead. The Terrapins missed seven of their first eight 3-point attempts, but quickly rebounded to take a 39-34 lead at halftime. The two teams traded the lead throughout the second half, and the game picked up in an intense final 10 minutes.
.@AmandaZahui ends the day with a double-double, 26 points and 15 rebounds. pic.twitter.com/j6ideqbAL4
— Minnesota Women's Basketball (@GopherWBB) January 11, 2015
Amanda Zahui B. led the Gophers in points (26), rebounds (15), steals (3) and blocks (4). Shayne Mullaney was the assist leader with 12.
The No. 23 Gophers had an impressive 10-game winning streak and were undefeated in the Big Ten prior to the game, without star senior Rachel Banham who is out with an injury, the Star Tribune reports.
The Gophers head to Ohio State Thursday.
