MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota (3-1, 0-0 B1G) got 30 points from the bench and used a 13-0 run in the first quarter and never looked back in a 73-56 win over American (2-2) Wednesday night at Williams Arena. Kadi Sissoko, dawning a face mask for the first time in her career, dropped a game, and season-high, 17 points to lead the Gophers.
Jasmine Powell also scored in double figures for the Maroon and Gold, scoring 12 while also adding a season-high eight assists and bringing down six rebounds. Off the bench Laura Bagwell Katalinich was a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor in her season debut to finish with eight points and grabbed four timely rebounds including two on the offensive glass.
The Maroon and Gold quickly mounted an offensive charge to begin the game, leading by a 21-12 tally at the end of the first quarter. Jasmine Powell led the attack with five points, followed by Kadi Sissoko with four. The Gophers continued their red-hot offense in the second quarter and took a 35-28 advantage going into the half.
The second half started with a quick 5-0 run to push the lead to double digits and later used a 7-2 run to lead by as much as 15 during the quarter. Bagwell Katalinich continued to hit timely shots off the bench and capped off a 53.8 percent shooting quarter with a buzzer-beating jumper.
In the final 10 minutes Minnesota was able to run away with the victory pushing the lead to as much as 21 in the final frame. The Golden Gophers outscored the Eagles 19-15 in the fourth and were able to bring in reserves to end the night with a 17-point victory.
As a team Minnesota shot 29-63 (46.0 percent) from the floor and 9-of-25 (36.0 percent) during the game, both bests for the Golden Gophers this season. The team won the rebound battle for the third-straight game with a 34-26 advantage while also grabbing 15 boards on the offensive end led by Sissoko’s four.
GAME NOTES
Minnesota remained a perfect 3-0 against the Eagles with tonight’s win; Kadi Sissoko tallied a season-high 17 points in the victory; Minnesota’s 21 points in the first quarter was a season high; Erin Hedman scored her first bucket of the season off the bench in the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer; The Maroon and Gold got a season-high 30 points from its bench in the victory over American; The Gophers 23 second-chance points was a season high, nearly doubling their previous high of 12 against Jacksonville (11/9); American finished with just four offensive rebounds, the fewest allowed by the Golden Gophers this season.
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