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2019-20 Big Ten Women’s Basketball preview and predictions

By Ben Rosof

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 10: The Iowa Hawkeyes are the 2019 Women's B1G Tournament championship game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Iowa Hawkeyes on March 10, 2019 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, in Indianapolis Indiana.(Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 10: The Iowa Hawkeyes are the 2019 Women's B1G Tournament championship game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Iowa Hawkeyes on March 10, 2019 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, in Indianapolis Indiana.(Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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COLLEGE PARK, MD – FEBRUARY 21: Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Jasmine Brunson (21) in front of Minnesota coach Lindsay Whalen during a women’s college basketball game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, on February 21, 2019, at Xfinity Center, in College Park, Maryland.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD – FEBRUARY 21: Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Jasmine Brunson (21) in front of Minnesota coach Lindsay Whalen during a women’s college basketball game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, on February 21, 2019, at Xfinity Center, in College Park, Maryland.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Minnesota Golden Gophers

2018-19 Record / Finish:

  • 21-11 (9-9 B1G, T-6th in standings)
  • Lost to Indiana in second round Big Ten Tournament
  • Lost to Cincinnati in second round of WNIT Tournament

2018-19 Leaders:

  • Kenisha Bell (19.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.4 apg) – Was a senior, graduated
  • Destiny Pitts (16.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg) – Returns as a junior

Key Additions:

  • #76 overall prospect, 4-star guard Jasmine Powell from Michigan
  • Freshman forward Klarke Sconiers from New York

Lindsay Whalen’s tenure as head coach of the Gophers began swimmingly a season ago. Her team began 12-0, including a victory over #12 Syracuse, and climbed as high as #12 themselves in the AP Poll. Unfortunately, Minnesota stumbled through the bulk of its conference schedule, finishing just 9-11 following the undefeated start and missing out on an NCAA Tournament berth. Minnesota also lost a key contributor to last season’s roster in Kenisha Bell, who was drafted to the WNBA following her graduation.

There is reason to believe the Gophers will demonstrate improvement in Whalen’s second year at the helm, primarily due to the returns of junior Destiny Pitts and senior Taiye Bello. While Pitts was last year’s second leading scorer, Bello averaged 11.9 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per game. She ended the 2018-19 season ranked fourth all-time in Gopher history and seventh all-time in Big Ten history for rebounds in a single season, tallying 380. The 6’2” post player will undoubtedly command the paint this year once again for Minnesota.

In addition to recruiting four-star prospect Jasmine Powell — a three-time all-state honoree — Minnesota welcomes four other freshmen to campus this year, most notably Christ the King graduate Klarke Sconiers. Coming from a high school that produced WNBA legends such as Chamique Holdsclaw, Sue Bird and Tina Charles, Sconiers arrives as the 18th-ranked post player in her class, per ESPN.

The Gophers will be tested in the non-conference portion of their schedule as they host Arizona State, which finished 15th in last season’s AP Poll, on November 17. They also travel to Notre Dame on December 4 to battle the Irish in the Big Ten / ACC Challenge.

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