Gophers fall just shy in upset bid in Big Ten tourney semifinals

In the Big Ten Tournament semifinals for the first time in more than a decade, the Gophers women's basketball team gave No. 1 seed Ohio State all it could handle before losing 90-88 Saturday in Indianapolis. 

Minnesota trailed 90-85 before Gadiva Hubbard buried a 3-pointer to make it a two-point game with under 10 seconds to play. Minnesota fouled to put Ohio State at the free-throw line, and two misses later the Gophers found themselves with 4.2 seconds and a prayer for the tie or win, but Carlie Wagner's desperation shot didn't fall. 

Final score: Ohio State 90, Minnesota 88. 

Kenisha Bell finished one rebound shy of a triple-double, with a final line of 27 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. Wagner scored 26 (24 in the first half) and Hubbard added 20 for Minnesota.

Now the Gophers await the NCAA Tournament selection show on Monday, March 12 at 6 p.m. Although nothing is certain, the Gophers should be a lock to make the tourney.