MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.  – The Minnesota women's basketball team overcame first half shooting woes to power back for a 60-46 victory over No. 17/19 Rutgers at Williams Arena on Sunday.

The Golden Gophers erased a seven-point early third quarter deficit to improve to 15-7 overall and 4-7 in Big Ten play. Rutgers, meanwhile, dropped only its second Big Ten contest to fall to 9-2 in league play and 17-5 overall.

RU was led by redshirt senior forward Stasha Carey with 16 points. Sophomore forward Tekia Mack and freshman guard Zipporah Broughton both came off the bench for eight points. Mack also hauled in a career-high seven boards.

Minnesota had four in double figures, including Taiye Bellow with 11 points and 21 rebounds, tying for the most in Big Ten play. Kenisha Bell scored a game-high 19 points, while Destiny Pitts added 13 and Jasmine Brunson had 13 in the win.

The Golden Gophers outrebounded the Scarlet Knights, 44-31, and shot 81 percent from the line contributing 25 points to its total from the stripe.

FIRST QUARTER
Both teams shot a combined 0-for-10 from the field to open the contest. Free throws helped to put the Golden Gophers ahead before Bell capitalized on a Scarlet Knight turnover for the game's first field goal at the 5:40 mark and 6-1 Minnesota lead.

Rutgers responded with six unanswered points as a Tekia Mack "and one" gave RU its first lead of the game, 10-8, with 1:59 left. Minnesota's Brunson, however, tied game with a layup on Gophers last possession as the quarter ended with the teams tied at 10.

SECOND QUARTER
Rutgers netted nine unanswered to start and Minnesota did not score its first point until Bell hit 1-of-2 from the line with 4:05 to go. By then, the Scarlet Knights had established a 19-11 advantage.

The Golden Gophers went 0-of-11 before hitting their first field goal of the quarter with 51 seconds left. Minnesota finished the second frame 1-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-8 from the free throw line with Rutgers heading into the locker room with a 23-17 edge.

In the first half of play, Minnesota turned the ball over a total 14 times with the Scarlet Knights capitalizing for 11 points.

Broughton led all scorers with seven points at the break.

THIRD QUARTER
The Golden Gophers overcame its first half shooting woes to outscore RU 22-10 in the third frame.

While Broughton knocked in 1-of-2 from the line to give Rutgers its largest lead of the afternoon at 24-17 to start off second half action, Minnesota would close the quarter on a 13-2 run for a 39-33 lead.

FOURTH QUARTER

A Bello traditional 3-point play gave the Golden Gophers a double-digit lead at 45-35 with 8:07 left to play.

Rutgers managed to half its deficit off a Carey putback and Ciani Cryor 3-pointer and trailed 45-40 with 5:48 to go.

Minnesota, however, would outscore the Scarlet Knights, 15-6, to go back up by double digits and close out the game.

UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team will a week to prepare for its next two home games. RU returns to the RAC for games with Maryland on Sunday, Feb. 10 and Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 14.
 


KNIGHT NOTES
- Senior forward Caitlin Jenkins has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team policy.
- Rutgers has kept all 22 opponents to date under their scoring average. Minnesota entered the contest averaging 68.9 points per game and were held to 60.
- The four made field goals by Minnesota in the first half ties for fewest field goals made in a half by a Scarlet Knight opponent. Albany also had four first half field goals in RU's 65-39 win back on Nov. 18.
- Tekia Mack reset her career-high in rebounds against the Gophers with seven. Her previous high was six in the first meeting with Penn State back on Jan. 6.
- Zipporah Broughton's eight points were the most scored by the freshman since netting 11 in her debut against St. Francis (Pa.) in the season opener on Nov. 6.
- Minnesota's 25 made free throws were a season-high for a Rutgers opponent this season. The Golden Gophers made five "and-1"'s in the second half.

Follow Rutgers women's basketball at www.ScarletKnights.com and (@RutgersWBB) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all of the latest news and updates. For additional updates, download the Rutgers Gameday App.