Players lost:

 
  GP/GS Min FG FGA FG% 3 Pt 3Pt A 3 Pt % FT FTA FT %
Sonja Robinson 27/22 33.5 111 276 .402 0 1 .000 41 59 .695
Theresa LeCuyer 27/13 19.8 71 170 .418 5 12 .417 63 102 .618
Mindy Hansen 27/7 12.2 38 94 .404 1 8 .125 6 15 .400
Swantreca Taylor 22/16 11.7 10 41 .244 1 5 .200 8 13 .615

 

  Off Reb Def Reb Reb PF-D Assists Steals Blocks TO A/TO High Points Ave
Sonja Robinson 87 106 193 69-1 30 30 8 53 0.57 20 263 9.7
Theresa LeCuyer 47 71 118 48-1 36 20 3 45 0.80 22 210 7.8
Mindy Hansen 28 22 50 34-0 25 7 2 42 0.60 22 83 3.1
Swantreca Taylor 18 14 32 25-0 22 16 0 23 0.96 11 29 1.3

 

Players returning:

 
  GP/GS Min FG FGA FG% 3 Pt 3Pt A 3 Pt % FT FTA FT %
Cassie VanderHeyden 26/5 19.0 76 216 .352 54 161   .335 29 38 .763
Moneeke Bowden 26/9 17.8 59 174 .339 12 37 .324 40 74 .541
Jackie Tate 27/8 25.3 62 144 .431 1 2 .500 44 53 .830
Erin Olson 27/18 30.7 51 157 .325 13 35 .371 35 48 .729
Brandi Harris 27/10 11.8 40 123 .325 24 62 .387 13 26 .500
Antoinetta Blevins 22/5 12.6 33 96 .344 5 22 .227 21 37 .568
Kim Bell 24/9 10.3 23 62 .371 0 0 .000 11 17 .647
Brandy Pickens 13/0 4.0 1 3 .333 0 0 .000 5 9 .556
Erin Schaffer 4/0 2.5 0 1 .000 0 0 .000 1 2 .500

 

  Off Reb Def Reb Reb PF-D Assists Steals Blocks TO A/TO High Points Ave
Cassie VanderHeyden 14 40 54 54-2 41 33 0 59 0.69 24 235 9.0
Moneeke Bowden 32 65 97 79-4 14 21 5 46 0.30 16 170 6.5
Jackie Tate 51 69 120 64-3 27 22 10 53 0.51 16 169 6.3
Erin Olson 12 92 104 43-1 92 33 12 77 1.19 16 150 5.6
Brandi Harris 24 27 51 50-2 15 19 0 56 0.27 20 117 4.3
Antoinetta Blevins 12 25 37 37-1 36 7 0 41 0.88 18 92 4.2
Kim Bell 21 45 66 58-3 4 5 42 35 0.11 8 57 2.4
Brandy Pickens 2 12 14 10-0 1 0 0 1 2.00 4 7 0.5
Erin Schaffer 3 1 4 0-0 0 1 0 0 0.00 1 1 0.3

 

Additions:

Natea Motley 6' G Detroit, Mi #27 Blue Star Index, #30 All Star Girls Report
Lindsay Lieser 5'10 G New London, Mn #275 All Star Girls Report
Kim Prince 6'2 C Montgomery Al

 

It should be safe to say that the 1999 Gopher team will be better than the 98 squad.  It's hard to imagine them being worse.

Minnesota finished eighth in the league in scoring defense in 98.  Defense was their strength.  

The Gophers simply need to improve in every area.  They have to get better offensively.  They were last in the league in scoring, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.  They had the worst turnover/assist margin in the Big 10.  Their only offensive strength was three point shooting.

Looking at their roster, it's hard to see how much improvement will happen.  Their two top returning scorers shot 34 and 35% from the field.  Cheryl Littlejohn has shown no ability to teach offense, nor has she shown she can get her players to improve.

Mad Dog Littlejohn has apparently decided that she will have an improved record this year.  She has put together one of the weakest non-conference schedules a Big 10 team has played in a while.  Somehow she made a mistake and allowed Georgetown on the schedule.  It's possible that may be the only non-conference game that the Gophers lose.  Of course, it won't get them ready for the Big 10, but it'll look good.

By Position:

  Point guard.  Olson returns at point.  She had a positive assist/turnover ratio and, given how weak Minny was offensively, that was an accomplishment.  She appears to have the understanding to run a Big 10 team, but lacks the physical skills.  She will have to look to score more.

  Swing players.  This should be the strength of the team.  VanderHeyden and Motley should start and lead the team in scoring.  VanderHeyden is the scrappy type of player that can be the heart of the team.  Motley will have to have to make an immediate impact.

  Post players.  Bowden and Bell look to be the likely starters.  Bowden was a decent rebounder who shot 34% and turned the ball over too much for a post player.  Bell is almost immobile, but she can be a force defensively in the middle.  Her immobility leads to fouls, as she averaged about a foul every four minutes last year.  She also shot 37% from the field.  This looks to be the weakest area on a weak team.

  Bench.  Tate should provide some help at the swing positions and Blevens is adequate as a back-up point.  Beyond that, it looks pretty bleak.

Strengths:  defense, three point shooting

Weaknesses:  Coaching.  offense.  

Key Player:  Natea Motley.  The freshman may be the best offensive player on the team.

Key Games:  Dec 30 @ Indiana,  Feb 20 Iowa

Question Gopher fans are asking:  Why us?

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