Sophomore Isaiah Washington likes to play fast. His abilities came in handy during a Jan. 30 game against Illinois, a team known for stopping their opponents' set-offenses. In his second season, the game is starting to slow down for Washington and he's found a way to make a significant impact on the court.
Following a second place finish at the NCAA Championships last season, the Minnesota roster went through a massive overhaul. Ten seniors departed the team, including team captains Joel Gagnon and Alex Wittenberg, making way for a youth movement as nine freshman were added to this season's team.
It is not often that one of the newest additions to a collegiate athletics team is someone who has four-years of prior experience. Sean Russell (19-3), the No. 6 wrestler in the 125-weight class is just that. Although it’s his first year in with the Gophers, some say it’s hard to tell.
The Gophers' defensive corps is made up of five underclassmen, a pair of juniors and a lone senior — Jack Sadek. Sadek, a seventh-round NHL draft pick, has had his best statistical season with a young cast of line mates surrounding him.
The Scarlet Knights came to Stadium Village at the top of the Big Ten with a 17-4 record. The Gophers managed to upset Rutgers 60-46 to put another game in the win column.
The team began Big Ten competition last week on Saturday, Jan. 26 on the road against Penn State and narrowly edged the Nittany Lions 196.925-196.775. The Gophers recorded season-highs in three events: the vault, bars and beam. The team's beam score of 49.375 put them among the top women's teams in Gophers history in the event, placing fourth in program history.
No. 2 Minnesota (25-4-1, 15-4-1-0) split its weekend series against Minnesota-Duluth (12-12-2, 8-8-2-2), losing 3-2 in overtime on Saturday but winning 5-3 on Sunday. Neither team had a lead of more than one goal until the final minute of Sunday's game. Goaltender Sydney Scobee made 26 saves, winning her ninth game of the season.
The Gophers men’s tennis team (5-1) took a road-trip down south to Alabama over the weekend and came out with two victories over SEC opponents.
Minnesota softball is looking to win its fourth consecutive Big Ten tournament title. Last season, the Gophers became the first Big Ten team to win three straight Big Ten championships since the Michigan Wolverines from 1996-98.
The No. 7 Gophers (12-2, 5-1 Big Ten) wrestling team dominated the Purdue Boilermakers in the team’s first dual at Maturi Pavilion in three weeks.
Minnesota got even with Michigan Saturday in a 4-3 victory after a 4-2 loss on Friday. Gophers' captain Tyler Sheehy had four points in the game.
Minnesota gave up two goals, 22 shots and four power play attempts to Michigan — all in the second period. The Gophers couldn't recover from the sluggish second and lost to the Wolverines Friday.
Minnesota lost its second consecutive game Friday as the Gophers fell to Michigan 4-2. The team hasn't scored an even-strength goal through the two losses. The teams reconvene Saturday for the series finale.
At halftime, Illinois had a two-point lead on Minnesota's home court. The Gophers looked like they might suffer another loss to one of the Big Ten's worst teams, but two runs in the second half changed the home team's momentum.
The Gophers used a second half surge to get revenge against Illinois Wednesday. Minnesota took the game 86-75.
Freshman Blake McLaughlin scored 23 goals with the Chicago Steel of the USHL before the Anaheim Ducks drafted him in the third round during the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.