Jan. 22, 2006
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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – No. 12 Minnesota beat Iowa 80-68 on Sunday behind Liz Podominick’s 13 points and a second-half scoring explosion.
Jamie Broback and Natasha Williams chipped in 12 points each for the Gophers. Minnesota (13-4, 6-1) won by double-digits for the third straight game, despite trailing the Hawkeyes (12-7, 5-3) 37-32 at halftime. It was the first time in Big Ten play this season that Minnesota has trailed at halftime.
The Gophers squashed any upset bid with a 22-6 run to start the second half, which was sparked by three baskets from Podominick.
Minnesota forced the Hawkeyes into five missed shots and three turnovers in Iowa’s first eight possessions of the second half and stifled Iowa’s Crystal Smith into a 2-14 shooting day. Smith, the Big Ten’s leading scorer going into the game, managed just 11 points, a season-low.
The Gophers bench and balance proved important as their reserves outscored Iowa’s 30-15. Five players scored in double-digits for Minnesota.
Freshman center Megan Skouby led the Hawkeyes with 20 points, and forward Krista VandeVenter added 15 points and 12 rebounds for Iowa.