Women's Basketball | 12/23/2015 1:44:00 PM

Women's Basketball Gameday Information at Minnesota

Game 12	NJIT (3-8) at Minnesota (7-3)
Date | Time	Monday, December 28 | 7pm (CT)
Location | Arena	Minneapolis, MN | Williams Arena
Listen	Listen Live
Live Video	BTN Plus
Live Stats	In-game statistics (free)
Social Media	@njithighlanders
All-time series | Last Meeting	Minnesota leads, 1-0 | December 23, 2011 (Minnesota 71, NJIT 47)
Game Notes	NJIT Notes | Minnesota Notes

How to watch the game
The game is being shown live exclusively on Big Ten Network Plus, a platform owned by a joint venture between the Big Ten Conference and the Fox Entertainment Group and operated by Fox Sports.
 
Big Ten Network Plus content can be viewed on BTN2Go.  To access on laptop, go to www.BTN2Go.com, choose DIRECTV from the list of TV providers, and enter your directv.com account login information.  To access BTN2Go on your tablet or mobile device, you'll need to download the FREE BTN app.  Frequently Asked Questions - LINK

With the non-conference portion of the schedule winding down ahead of the start of Atlantic Sun Conference play, NJIT faces a daunting task in the next game, as the Highlanders will head to the Twin Cities to face Minnesota of the powerful Big Ten Conference on December 28 at 7 pm (CST).

SCOUTING MINNESOTA 
Minnesota is 7-3 on the season, after a 57-47 win over North Dakota on December 23.  The Gophers boast one of the nation's best scoring duos –Rachel Banham (23.2 points per game, ninth in the nation and second in the Big Ten) and Carlie Wagner (19.0 ppg) combine to score 42.2 points per contest.

Banham, a redshirt senior, who played and started in 10 games for the Gophers in 2014-15 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury, was named as one of the top 25 women's basketball players for the 2015-16 season, listed by ESPNW and Preseason All-Big Ten recognition.

She is a two-time All-Big Ten first-team selection and was last year's Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year before injury cut her season short.  Banham earned Big 10 Freshman of the Year accolades in 2012 along with second-team all-conference laurels.

In addition to averaging 23.2 ppg, the 5-foot-9 guard tops the team in rebounds (6.5 rpg), steals (28) and shares team-honors with senior guard Mikayla Bailey with 29 three-point field goals made.  Wagner, a 5-foot-10 sophomore guard, who was named to the 2014-15 Big Ten All-Freshman team, is averaging 19.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg while Bailey, a three-point threat, is the third Gopher to average double-digits at 11.5 ppg.

HEAD COACH MARLENE STOLLINGS
After being named the 11^th head coach at Minnesota in April 2014, Stollings implemented her system and the Gophers responded with a 23-10 record (11-7 Big Ten) and their first NCAA Tournament appearance in six years.
Minnesota's 23 wins were the most wins in 10 years, and its 11 Big Ten wins were the most in six years. The Gophers' 22 regular-season wins were the second-most in program history.

Under Stollings' guidance, the Gophers vaulted back into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in nine years. Their No. 21 ranking on Dec. 20 was their highest spot in the AP Poll in nine seasons.

Stollings' inaugural year was capped by two WNBA Draft selections, as Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American center Amanda Zahui B. (second overall) and All-Big Ten forward Shae Kelley were selected (35th overall).

MINNESOTA LEADERS
Points: Rachel Banham (23.2 ppg) 9^th in the nation; Carlie Wagner (19.0 ppg)
Rebounds: Rachel Banham (6.5 rpg)
Field Goal Percentage: Rachel Banham (78-183; .426)
3-Point FG Made: Rachel Banham & Mikayla Bailey (29)
Assists: Shayne Mullaney (60)
Steals: Rachel Banham (28)

SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
After three straight home contests, NJIT will visit Minnesota on December 28 but then return for three more home games.

The Highlanders are coming off a closely-contested non-conference women's basketball game against North Dakota State, 64-59, on December 22.

The top scorer for the Highlanders was senior Ronni Grandison, who finished with 18 points, nearly double her previous career-high 10 points, done twice last season (vs. Penn on Jan. 24, 2015 and vs. College of St. Joseph, VT, on Feb. 15, 2015).

Junior Leah Horton added 16 points and a season-high 11 rebounds, her first double-double of the season and the fifth of her two-year NJIT career.

LAST MEETING BETWEEN MINNESOTA
Rachel Banham scored 20 points and shared game-high honors with 7 rebounds for Minnesota en route to the Gophers' 71-47 win on December 23, 2011.  This marked the first meeting between NJIT and Minnesota, which became the second women's basketball opponent from the powerful Big Ten Conference for the Highlanders since they began competing at the Division I level in 2006-07.  In 2009-10, Penn State was NJIT's first-ever women's basketball Big Ten opponent.

NJIT LEADERS
Points: Leah Horton (12.3 ppg)
Rebounds: Leah Horton (7.5 rpg)
Field Goal Percentage: Leah Horton (53-110; .482)
3-Point FG Made: Kelly Guarino (28-for-64)
Assists: Alana Dudley (40)
Steals: Leah Horton (19)
 
NEXT UP
NJIT will host Ivy League opponent Dartmouth on December 31 at 2pm.  Last season, Dartmouth defeated the Highlanders in overtime.