Minnesota (12-8, 2-7) lost on the road to No. 20/24 Indiana (16-5, 6-3) Monday night, 65-52.
Three Gophers reached double figures with freshman Jasmine Powell leading the way with 15 points. Making her first career start, Powell matched the 15 she had at Illinois on Jan. 12 for her most in a Big Ten game this year. She grabbed three rebounds and added a team-high three assists.
Senior Taiye Bello recorded her ninth double-double of the season and the 24th of her career as she finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds. It was her third straight game with at least 10 rebounds and her second double-double in the past three contests.
Fellow senior Jasmine Brunson matched Bello with 11 points for her fifth straight game in double figures. Prior to this stretch, Brunson had never had more than three games in a row with at least 10 points in her career.
Minnesota led 14-11 after the first quarter, but Indiana opened up the second stanza on a 12-2 run. Down 25-17 later in the quarter, freshman Sara Scalia and Powell knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Hoosiers’ lead to just two points, though Indiana did hold a 27-23 lead at intermission.
Powell led the team in scoring in the first half with eight points, while Bello was over halfway to her double-double with six points and eight rebounds.
In the third quarter, Minnesota got within one at 35-34 after a basket from Bello with 6:15 to go in the frame. However, Indiana countered with a 7-0 run to regain control and led 48-39 heading into the fourth.
Minnesota would get as close as seven points in the fourth quarter after a pair of Powell free throws made it a 51-44 contest with just over six minutes remaining. The Hoosiers were strong from the free throw line though, making 15-of-18 in the fourth quarter and 20-of-24 for the game.
Indiana was led by Grace Berger’s double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Minnesota returns to Williams Arena Thursday night as it hosts Nebraska at 7 p.m.
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)