The shot clock expired with a fraction of a second left on the scoreboard in Minnesota’s 73-50 women’s basketball victory over Drake on Tuesday night.

The officials ran out the remaining seconds of the clock for a fitting less-than-dramatic finish to a sluggish, foul-filled game.

The 11th-ranked Gophers went into Des Moines, Iowa, averaging 94 points per game after playing Southern University and 16th-ranked Colorado last weekend.

They could only muster 73 in a flat victory over the Bulldogs.

“We had a first good half,” Minnesota coach Pam Borton said. “We were back on our heels in the second.”

Minnesota junior Janel McCarville led all scorers and recorded a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Sophomore guard Shannon Schonrock made six three-pointers and scored a career-high 20 points for the Gophers.

With Minnesota leading 45-22 at the break, the Bulldogs played even in the second half and at one point cut the lead to 17 on a three by freshman Erin Dohrmann.

In a scrappy game with plenty of noise from whistles, four Gophers guards finished with three or more fouls.

Down to eight players on the roster who play significant minutes, this kind of situation made the Gophers bench very slim very quickly.

The Gophers will fly from Des Moines to the Bahamas today. Minnesota will take part in the Junkanoo Jam tournament over the Thanksgiving break. They will face Texas A&M on Friday and either Southern California or Seton Hall on Saturday.

Borton said her expectations are extremely high for the team, especially following the Colorado game Sunday.

Though they won against the Bulldogs, after a flat second half Tuesday the Gophers will look to rebound against an unfamiliar but athletic Texas A&M team.

“We will have to work hard on executing offensively,” Borton said. “Now, we will have to put two halves together.”