On Friday, in practice, point guard Jasmine Powell sprained her right ankle. Just like that Gophers women's basketball coach Lindsay Whalen had to figure out what she was going to do without her best ball-handler, her best passer, with Monday's Big Ten Conference opener with Nebraska at Williams Arena looming.
With Sara Scalia playing point guard, with Kadi Sissoko having her best college game, with the two of them trying to carry the team on their shoulders, the Gophers almost beat the undefeated Cornhuskers.
But a late Nebraska surge carried the Huskers to a 70-67 victory.
Sissoko hit 10 of 19 shots, grabbed four rebounds, drew four fouls and made five of six free throws on the way to 25 points. Scalia hit four of seven three-pointers, had seven rebounds, three assists and scored 20.
"It's tough to lose,'' Whalen said after her team, up four with 4:34 left, was outscored by the Huskers 13-6 to end the game, with Nebraska guard Sam Haiby scoring eight of them. "We thought we had our chance to win, thought some guys stepped up with Jas being out. We got a lot of performances that were really good. But, collectively, we didn't get it done.''
BOXSCORE: Nebraska 70, Gophers 67
Often double-covered by a Nebraska team determined not to let her drive, Sissoko was lethal from mid-range. "I had to adapt,'' she said. "I had to shoot some 15-footers. We all had to step up, obviously, not having Jasmine Powell. It's something we prepared for. I think we tried our best.''
Not for a lack of grit.
A slow start had the Gophers (6-5) down 11 after a quarter and down 13 early in the second. But with Scalia scoring eight, the Gophers closed the half 17-6 to draw within two on Scalia's three at the end of the quarter.
Down 10 mid-way through the third, Sissoko scored six as the Gophers ended the quarter 15-6 to pull within 50-49 entering the fourth.
Minnesota was down three after Jaz Shelley (15 points) scored with 6:40 left. But Scalia hit a three. Moments later, she scored in the lane. After another Gophers stop Deja Winters drove baseline to put the Gophers up 61-57 with 4:34 left.
And then the Gophers started to struggle on the offensive end. That 13-6 Huskers run to end the game started with five straight second-chance points. Bella Cravens (15 points) scored to make it a one-point game with 2:47 left. After the Gophers missed two shots, Haiby (13) scored to put the Huskers (9-0) up for good.
Sissoko and Scalia scored 45 of the Gophers' 67 points. They made a combined 17 of 35 shots; the rest of the team was a combined 7-for-22.
Scalia was able to be effective despite having to bring the ball up against pressure much of the night.
"I would say it was different than what I've usually played here. But I had confidence bringing the ball up the court," she said. "I just had to try my best to lead the team.''
Alanna Micheaux — named Big Ten freshman of the week earlier Monday — scored eight points. But she was limited to just 18 minutes by early foul trouble.
The Huskers had a 21-14 edge on points off turnovers, a 42-36 edge on points in the paint, and an 11-2 edge on the break.
