memphis – The Gophers women's basketball team, playing most of the first half without foul-ridden Rachel Banham, defeated Memphis 68-62 on Sunday in its first road game of the season.
It was a far cry from the Gophers' first two games, when they put up 109 and 93 points in 49- and 17-point victories at Williams Arena. Banham picked up two fouls within eight seconds of each other less than three minutes into the game and did not score in the first half.
She wound up playing only 23 minutes but scored 14 points in the second half to help erase a 31-29 deficit at the break. She moved into third place on the Gophers' all-time scoring list, passing Laura Coenen. She now trails only No. 1 Lindsay Whalen and No. 2 Carol Ann Shudlick.
Three other players scored in double figures for the Gophers: Shae Kelley (20), Mikayla Bailey (15) and Amanda Zahui B. (12), who made her first start of the season.
Kelley has scored 20 point or more points in her first three games for the Gophers. She also had eight rebounds. Bailey, starting in place of injured guard Shayne Mullaney (sprained ankle), played 36 minutes and tied a career high with four three-pointers on eight attempts.
Ariel Hearn scored a career-high 28 points for the Tigers (2-2) and tied a school record with seven three-pointers on 16 attempts. She had eight points during a 10-0 Memphis run in the second half, which cut the Gophers lead to 64-59 with 1:19 to play. Asianna Fuqua-Bey had 13 rebounds — 10 on the offensive end.
Memphis outrebounded the Gophers 48-37, and the Gophers were only 15-for-27 from the free-throw line.
This was the Gophers' first trip to Memphis, just their third game against the Tigers overall, and their first since 1982.
Memphis coach Melissa McFerrin was an associate head coach for the Gophers from 2002 to 2004.
