7:30 p.m. Saturday vs. Penn State
TV: BTN. Radio: 96.7-FM
Gophers update: This is the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams. Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen is 5-1 all-time vs. Penn State, including a Big Ten tournament victory in 2020. The 4-3 Gophers are coming off a home loss to Wake Forest in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wednesday, a game in which they shot 37.1% and turned the ball over 19 times. Fr. G Mara Braun had a game-high 27 points in that game — 13 in the fourth quarter. She is fourth in the Big Ten in scoring (19.7). So. C Rose Micheaux had her fourth point-rebound double-double (13-10) vs. Wake Forest. She is fifth in the conference in rebounding (8.4).
Penn State update: Coach Carolyn Kieger, a Roseville native, is in her fourth season coaching the Nittany Lions, who have improved every year. They won seven games in her first season, then nine, last season 11. They started this season 7-0, sustaining their first loss, by 21 points, at home to Virginia in the Big Ten/ACC challenge. The Lions are led by Sr. G Makenna Marisa, who is 10th in the Big Ten in scoring (16.8). She is the only Penn State player scoring in double figures. She scored a total of 53 points in her past two games vs. the Gophers, including a 28-point game late last season.
