Five things to know: Minnesota

Badgers open Big Ten play against No. 12 Golden Gophers

Women's Basketball December 28, 2018

Five things to know: Minnesota

Badgers open Big Ten play against No. 12 Golden Gophers

Wisconsin

9-3, 0-0

Minnesota

11-0, 0-0

Game Coverage

Friday, Dec. 21 | 8 p.m. | Williams Arena | Minneapolis, Minn.

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin women's basketball team opens Big Ten Conference play, traveling to No. 12 Minnesota on Friday. Tip time is 8 p.m. from the Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The game airs live on the Big Ten Network.

1. LAST TIME OUT: The Badgers ended its non-conference season in style, defeating Evansville, 96-60, on Dec. 21 at the Kohl Center. Wisconsin began the game with a 6-0 run and never looked back. The Badgers are off to their best start since 2009-10 at 9-3. Wisconsin equaled or surpassed its win total from the past four seasons with the victory over the Purple Aces.

2. SEASON-HIGH SHOTS: UW scored a season-high 96 points against Evansville, shooting a season-high 52.2 percent (36-69) from the field. UW also scored a season-high nine 3-pointers, including four from junior Suzanne Gilreath.

3. GUARD DUO: Kendra Van Leeuwen and Niya Beverley helped UW earn a 23-14 advantage in assists over the Purple Aces. Van Leeuwen led all players with 11 assists while Beverley added a career-high seven. Van Leeuwen leads the Big Ten with 6.0 assists per game. The distribution by this dynamic duo helped Wisconsin earn 48 points in the paint. UW also turned the ball over only 11 times, its third straight game with 12-or-fewer giveaways.

4. BORDER BATTLE: Friday's game is part of the 15th-annual Border Battle, an all-sports competition between the athletic programs of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The winner of Friday's game will receive 20 points. UW leads this year's standings, 140-100.

5. SCOUTING THE GOPHERS: No. 12 Minnesota is undefeated in non-conference play. It's 11-game win streak is the fifth longest in program history and the longest since winning a school-record 15-in-a-row to open the 2003-04 season. Redshirt senior Kenisha Bell leads the Golden Gophers with 19.5 points per game and she is joined by three other players who average 10-or-more points per game. Sophomore Destiny Pitts (14.3), junior Taiye Bello (10.5) and senior Annalese Lamke (10.3) provide balanced scoring for Minnesota. Bello also adds 13.4 rebounds per game, which ranks third nationally and leads the Big Ten.

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Players Mentioned

#22 Niya Beverley: G; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#3 Suzanne Gilreath: G; 5' 4"; Junior; Brooklyn Park, Minn.

#10 Kendra Van Leeuwen: G; 5' 10"; Junior; Brantford, Ontario

Players Mentioned

#22 Niya Beverley
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: G

#3 Suzanne Gilreath
: 5' 4"; Junior; Brooklyn Park, Minn.
: G

#10 Kendra Van Leeuwen
: 5' 10"; Junior; Brantford, Ontario
: G

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Wisconsin

Minnesota

Game Coverage

Players Mentioned

#22 Niya Beverley

#3 Suzanne Gilreath

#10 Kendra Van Leeuwen

Players Mentioned

#22 Niya Beverley

#3 Suzanne Gilreath

#10 Kendra Van Leeuwen

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