University Park, Pa. – Carlie Wagner scored 23 points and Destiny Pitts added 16 as the Gophers routed Penn State 91-71 on Wednesday night in Big Ten women's basketball.
The Gophers (14-4, 3-2) took an 8-0 lead and never trailed in beating the Nittany Lions for the sixth time in their past eight meetings.
"Any game you can get on the road is huge," Gophers coach Marlene Stollings said in a postgame radio interview. "But what makes it special is how we got a win."
Minnesota shot 57.6 percent from the field — and even better, 58.8 percent (10 of 17), on three-pointers.
"Those are highs for us since we have been here," said Stollings in her fourth season as the Gophers coach. "…When people were open, we hit shots.
Wagner, a senior guard, was especially efficient, making nine of 13 shots and missing just once on her six three-point attempts.
As a team, the Gophers were 7-for-9 on threes in the first half.
"It really is what ignited us the rest of the game," Wagner said on the radio, referring to the hot outside shooting in the first half. She also had seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Stollings also was thrilled that her team outrebounded Penn State 43-30, led by Pitts, the 5-10 freshman forward, who had nine.
"We get a lot of our offense off our defense," Stollings said. "… We are seeing the maturity of our players more and more."
The other players in double figures for the Gophers were Gadiva Hubbard with 12 points and Jessie Edwards with 10. Kenisha Bell and Taiye Bello had eight points each. Bell also had six assists, Bello eight rebounds.
The Nittany Lions (10-8, 1-4), who were led by Teniya Page's 21 points, have now lost five of their past six games. They shot only 39 percent from the field, and 26 percent (6 of 23) on threes.
The 91 points the Gophers scored were the most Penn State, which came into this game 7-1 at home, has allowed this season.