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| Lauryn Ankeny, a steals whiz |
The Friday success came after three other decisive wins. The Lakers turned back Paynesville 57-17, Melrose 69-26 and Minneota 70-41. Quite the express the Lakers have going, out by beautiful Lake Minnewaska. The romp vs. WC Area was in the home setting.
The 68-33 win over the Knights saw a halftime score of 48-21.
Three Lakers finished in double figures scoring led by Megan Thorfinnson with 19 points. Sydney Dahl poured in 17 and Olivia Danielson 14. This group was complemented by four of their mates: Addyson Kath 7, Lauryn Ankeny 5, Jayda Kolstoe 3 and Alia Randt 3.
Thorfinnson built her total with the help of two 3-pointers. Kath, Kolstoe and Randt each made one from beyond the arc.
Dahl with her seven rebounds topped that category. Kath dished out two assists. Steal leaders were Thorfinnson and Ankeny each with four. Ankeny seems to have a knack for steals - I have noticed that over time.
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| Paige Bueckers |
Wouldn't Paige Bueckers look super in a Minnesota Gophers uniform now? I have to try to visualize that based on the rise of the Gophers women to super-competitive status. What a delight to watch the Gophers at present. "Our beloved rodents" as Patrick Reusse sometimes refers to the student-athletes, disposed of Illinois Sunday in a pretty closely-contested game.
Meanwhile Paige Bueckers who is a most vaunted female athlete was busy representing the "UConn Huskies." UConn has quite the status in college women's hoops. But at present I think the Gophers could challenge them or anyone else really.
Bueckers is a Minnesota native. So it's logical to try to speculate how she could have turned out as a UM Gopher. Perhaps she had issues with our program? If this was during the Whalen coaching era, well maybe that would be understandable. Didn't Whalen have an ignominious departure from the U? Awkward? Halting? Too bad our U could not have saved face a little better over that. The U is fundamentally halting at times. Or at least this has historically been the case.
If things have been patched up now, that's terrific. Keep fingers crossed. Our biggest triumph this year might be if we can be competitive against U of Iowa! And I most certainly think this is in the cards.
There is another big reason why I'm thinking about Bueckers today (Monday). Man, she was in a most concerning injury situation yesterday in the game versus Villanova. Villanova is where Iowa star Lucy Olsen played previously.
Villanova on Sunday was no match for UConn. I don't care much for the UConn coach. He rubs me the wrong way. He had Bueckers on the floor late in the third quarter when UConn was completely on top and running away with it.
So there's a loose ball. Bueckers, probably not feeling real intense given the circumstances at that point, reached down for it. A Villanova player meanwhile dove for the ball. The result was the Villanova player rolling up Bueckers' ankle. Some fans are faulting the Villanova player. I have examined the video several times and I do not fault her.
There is a lesson here: When you cease giving 100 percent in a game, maybe you become more susceptible to injury. Bueckers did not have to give 100 percent. I guess she cannot be faulted for how she was playing. But she sure got hurt. I guess more will be known today. But right now I'd say the odds are about 80 percent it's a season-ending injury for this player who seems rather made of porcelain. Yes she has an injury background.
I wonder if her whole story would have turned out better if she had played for Minnesota. She'd look terrific in a Gophers uniform to be sure. Maybe she could lead us to the Final 4. Actually I think the quality is there to make a bid for the elite anyway! I hope this establishes a new norm for the U women's program.
Meanwhile Lindsay Whalen has settled in as an assistant for Cheryl Reeve with the Lynx. I don't think Whalen can do any harm there. She was a super player but this does not automatically transfer to coaching success. I remember when our high school here in Morris hired a former UMM women's superstar for basketball. Well the historical record speaks for itself.
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| Grace Grocholski |
This was a come-from-behind win for the U on Sunday. The atmosphere was electric at Williams Arena in the afternoon as the U succeeded with a come-from-behind flair. We had to fight back from an 11-point hole. Hey, we are now 15-1!
I am not going to even try to type our head coach's last name, sorry. All that matters re. the coach is that she's doing her job. Mission accomplished! I can easily type her first name: Dawn. Already I find her more likeable than the UConn coach.
Dawn is in her second year coaching the Gophs.
Our top scorer Sunday was Grace Grocholski with 19 points. Annika Stewart poured in 11 in her reserve role, and Tori McKinney put in 11 also. Mallory Heyer led us in boards with ten. We can only imagine what Bueckers could be adding to this team. Maybe we don't need her? She turned her back on her home state.
Iowa fought out of a big hole vs. Maryland Sunday but still came up just short at Carver Arena.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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