MINNEAPOLIS — NRHEG’s Carlie Wagner hit the game-winning shot with .08 seonds left in overtime to lift the Gopher women’s basketball team to a 90-88 victory over No. 5 Ohio State on Wednesday night. It was the Gophers' first top-five victory in 11 years.
Rachel Banham put on another show in her final game at Williams Arena, scoring 35 points.
Wagner scored 26 , the last on a pullup from the baseline after Banham fouled out, and the Golden Gophers (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten) picked up a much-needed signature win to strengthen their case for an NCAA tournament bid.
''It was stressful,'' Banham told The Associated Press. ''It's hard watching from the bench when you want to be in. I felt like we had control in the overtime and I knew Carlie could make that shot. It was a different view sitting there and having to watch it. But I'm glad that we got it.''
Minnesota thought it had the game won when Jessie Edwards scored on a put-back with 0.5 seconds left in regulation, but Alexa Hart scored on a backdoor lob to force overtime for Ohio State (23-5, 15-2).
The Gophers were down 11 early in the third quarter and five with three minutes to play in regulation. But the sophomore Wagner score 11 points in the final seven minutes of the game. Her big shot at the end helped atone for an ugly turnover late in regulation that gave Ohio State new life.
''I just feel like I have a responsibility to step up when Rachel's out, especially in a tight situation like that,'' Wagner said. ''I just had to be aggressive and get to the basket. I got angry and wanted to get in there.''
The Buckeyes entered the game second in the nation in scoring offense at 87.3 points per game, fourth in field goal percentage (48.9) and winners of 19 of their last 20 games.
