By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
With the unseasonably warm weather it hardly seems possible, but Carlie Wagner is ready to hit the basketball court for another season.
Wagner and the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team begin play for 2015-2016 Friday night at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, hosting Wofford University in a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.
Wagner, NRHEG’s Golden Girl who led the Panthers to three straight state tournaments and consecutive state championships, is starting her sophomore season for the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota’s Miss Basketball and Associated Press Player of the Year in 2014, Wagner is coming off a season in which she was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, twice being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. She played in all 33 games for the Gophers with 28 starts, including four games with more than 40 minutes. She averaged 12.1 points (13.8 in conference), 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. She sank 64 three-point field goals last year, ranking ninth on the Gophers’ single-season record list. Among Big Ten freshmen, she was first in assist-to-turnover ratio, second in minutes played, third in three-point field goals made and fourth in scoring in conference games.
Wagner scored in double figures in 23 of 33 games played last season. She scored 15 or more points 11 times and 20 or more points twice, leading the team in steals eight times.
Wagner also had a knack for clutch shots as a freshman, hitting the game-tying three-pointer with 32 seconds left against Maryland and the go-ahead basket with 37 seconds left to help the Gophers defeat Indiana.
She scored a season-high 25 points and five three-pointers in a win over Michigan State.
As a team, hopes are high for the Golden Gophers despite having to replace All-Big Ten performers Shae Kelley and Amanda Zahui B. Four players return who started 10 or more games last year, and Rachel Banham returns from a knee injury for a fifth season, 107 points away from a new Gophers scoring record.
When the Gophers open the season Friday against Wofford, it will be their first official contest played in the new NCAA women’s basketball format. Rule changes in effect include the following:
QUARTERS
Women’s college games are still 40 minutes, but will be played in 10-minute quarters instead of 20-minute halves.
BONUS
Teams will shoot two free throws after the fifth team foul in each quarter. Previously, teams reached the “1-and-1” bonus on the seventh foul and the double bonus on the 10th. Team fouls will reset at the start of each new quarter, but a team’s fourth-quarter bonus will carry over into any overtime periods.
TIMEOUTS
During media games, which include all the Gophers’ games, teams will have four called timeouts. A maximum of three may carry over into the second half. Media timeouts will occur at the first dead ball under the 5-minute mark of each quarter. Called timeouts under the 5-minute mark will become media timeouts. The first called timeout of the second half also becomes a media timeout.
ADVANCING THE BALL
During the final 59.9 seconds of the game, when the team in possession of the ball calls a timeout, that team will have the option to move the throw-in spot to the 28-foot line in the frontcourt.
10-SECOND BACKCOURT EXCEPTIONS
Teams will not receive a new 10-second backcourt count when an inbounding pass results from the following:
*The ball is deflected out of bounds by the defense.
*There is a held ball and the possession arrow favors the offensive team.
*A technical foul is called on the offensive team while the ball is in its backcourt.
POST DEFENSE
When an offensive player with the ball has her back to the basket, the defender may place a forearm or one hand on the offensive player. When she places a hand on the offensive player, the defender must have a bend in her elbow.