University of Minnesota Athletics

Wednesday, November 20
Minneapolis, MN
7:00 PM

University of Minnesota

vs

Eastern Illinois

Woodson_Taylor
Photo by: Brad Rempel

Minnesota Returns Home to Host Eastern Illinois

11/19/2024 2:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Wednesday's game is the fourth meeting between the Golden Gophers and Panthers

MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota women's basketball team (5-0, 0-0 Big Ten) returns home this Wednesday to host Eastern Illinois (0-3, 0-0 OVC) at 7 p.m. CT. The contest will be streamed live on B1G+ from Williams Arena while Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist will broadcast the game on KFAN+.

Minnesota (5-0, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. Eastern Illinois (0-3, 0-0 OVC)
Stream:
B1G+
Tip Time: 7:01 p.m. CT
Radio: KFAN+ 96.7 FM and the iHeartRadio app (Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist)
Location: Williams Arena

Scouting the Panthers
• Head Coach Marqus McGlothan is in his first season as head coach of EIU after serving his last two seasons on the Panthers' staff as associate head coach
• Eastern Illinois has dropped contests against North Dakota, North Dakota State, and No. 23 Illinois
• Wednesday night's game will be the Panthers last road game before their home opener against Loyola Chicago on Saturday
• Jayda Johnson came off the bench against No. 23 Illinois, leading the EIU with eight points, four rebounds, and a steal
• Kiyley Flowers has led the Ohio Valley Conference in steals the last two seasons
• So far this season, Flowers has 20 steals through three games, ranked first in the NCAA in steals per game and second in total steals

Last Time Out
• Minnesota is 5-0 for the first time since 2018-19, they started 12-0 that year
• In Tempe, Ariz., at the Briann January Classic the Gophers grabbed wins against Oregon State and SMU
• After scoring 11 points vs. Oregon State and 13 points vs. SMU, Mara Braun has now scored in double figures in 43 of her 56 career college games
Grace Grocholski had a combined 22 rebounds in her last two games, the sophomore hit a career high in rebounds (13), offensive rebounds (7), and defensive rebounds (6) against SMU. Grocholski had nine in Minnesota's win over Oregon State. 
Taylor Woodson had a career high 18 points and six field goals made against SMU. She set a career high seven boards against Oregon State and matched it the following day against the Mustangs.

Series History
• Wednesday's contest is the fourth meeting between the Gophers and Panthers
• Minnesota leads the all-time series, 2-1, with wins coming in 2020 and 2022 in Minneapolis
• EIU's 73-72 win over Minnesota came back in 2000 at the Kansas Invitational 

Solid Starters
• Junior Mallory Heyer made her 70th and 71st starts in Arizona
• The Chaska, Minn., native has started every game of her college career
• This season, Heyer has grabbed 35 rebounds including a season high 10 against UMass Lowell and SMU
• Against UMass Lowell, Sophie Hart scored a season high 10 points and six rebounds
• Grocholski set a career high in rebounds against Oregon State (9) and surpassed it against SMU (13)
• Braun had zero turnovers vs. Oregon State, marking the 13th time in her career she has posted zero turnovers in a game
• In Arizona, Amaya Battle had a combined six assists and nine rebounds, all defensive 

Record Book Watch
• Two Gophers are on the cusp of hitting 1,000 points this season
Mara Braun sits at 922 while Battle is at 655
• Head Coach Dawn Plitzuweit is also close to hitting a milestone: 400 career wins
• Her two wins at the Briann January Classic marked her 389th and 390th wins
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Wyoming
Tuesday, December 16
Highlights: Gophers 80, Wyoming 34
Sunday, December 14
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Alabama A&M
Friday, December 12
Highlights: Gophers 82, Alabama A&M 44
Wednesday, December 10