Minnesota Treks to Wisconsin for Sunday Tilt

MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota women's basketball team (19-6,10-4 Big Ten) travels to Madison, Wisconsin to face the Badgers (13-12, 5-9 Big Ten) on Sunday at the Kohl Center. Tip off is set for 6 p.m. live on Big Ten Network with Mike Hall on play-by-play and Shimmy Miller as the analyst. Fans can also listen on KFAN+ 96.7 FM or the iHeartRadio app with Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist.

Minnesota (19-6,10-4 Big Ten) at Wisconsin (13-12, 5-9 Big Ten)
TV: BTN (Mike Hall - PxP, Shimmy Miller - analyst)
Tip Time: 5 p.m. CT
Radio: KFAN+ 96.7 FM, and the iHeartRadio app (Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist)
Location: Kohl Center

STARTING FIVE

The Golden Gophers extended its winning streak to seven after defeating Nebraska 84-67 on Thursday at Williams Arena.
It's the team's longest win streak overall since opening the 2024-25 season with 10 consecutive victories. In addition, it's the Gophers' second longest win streak within the Big Ten. They last won six in a row during the 2018-19 campaign, while the only longer streak was 11 games from Feb. of 2003 to January of 2004.
The Gophers took the lead against the Cornhuskers and never looked back Thursday. All five starters scored in double figures, led by Amaya Battle's 21 points and six rebounds. Mara Braun added 15, followed by Sophie Hart with 14. Grace Grocholski had 12 points, and Tori McKinney finished with 11. It marked only the 10th time in program history that Minnesota's starting five scored in double figures and the first time since Minnesota defeated Montana on Nov. 24, 2024.
The Nebraska win improved the Maroon and Gold's record to 19-6 overall and 10-4 in Big Ten play. It marks the best 14-game start in conference play since the 2017-18 season when the team also started 10-4. That season was also the last time Minnesota made the NCAA Tournament.
With a win Sunday, the Maroon and Gold will reach 20 wins for the third consecutive season. Marlene Stallings was the last head coach to accomplish the feat, doing so in 2013-14 (22-13), 2014-15 (23-10) and 2015-16 (20-12). Pam Borton also achieved the milestone in 2002-03 (25-6), 2003-04 (25-9) and 2004-05 (26-8).

WISCONSIN SERIES HISTORY

Minnesota leads the all-time series against Wisconsin 50-40.
The Gophers are 25-16 at Williams Arena, 21-20 on the road and 4-4 at neutral sites.
Minnesota and Wisconsin met earlier this season at The Barn. The Maroon and Gold picked up the 88-53 win on Jan. 25. Tori McKinney had a team-leading 20 points while Amaya Battle and Grace Grocholski each had 18.
Last season, Minnesota picked up two victories over Wisconsin and carries a three-game winning streak in the series.

WHERE THEY RANK

Minnesota is ranked No. 10 in the NET and is one of 10 Big Ten teams in the top 25. The Maroon and Gold's NET ranking is the third highest in the Big Ten, only behind No. 2 UCLA and No. 6 Michigan.
While not ranked in either top 25 poll, Minnesota was the first team out of the AP Poll and WBCA USA Today Coaches poll, receiving 42 and 39 votes, respectively.
Minnesota's 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fourth nationally and second in the Big Ten, only behind No. 2 UConn (1.88), No. 3 UCLA (1.7), and No. 4 Iowa State (1.64).
The Maroon and Gold's defense allows only 56.4 points per game, ranking them 20th in the nation and first in the conference.
Minnesota leads the Big Ten and is third in the NCAA with 11 games this season holding opponents to 50 points or fewer. The only teams with more such games are Connecticut (13) and Fairleigh Dickinson, while UCLA (8) is the next closest Big Ten school.

THE ORIGINAL G-MONEY

This season, Grace Grocholski leads Minnesota with 328 points and averages 13.1 points per game.
The guard-forward is shooting 50.6% from the field, 46.3% from 3-point range and 82.8% from the free throw line.
The North Prairie, Wis., native has 208 career made 3-pointers, ranking No. 8 all time in Minnesota program history.
Grocholski is ranked No. 6 in the nation and third in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage.
Grocholski ranks second on the Gophers' roster with 68 assists.
Against No. 7 Maryland on Dec. 7, Grocholski knocked down a career-high nine 3-pointers on her way to a career-best 31 points, tying for the second-most 3-pointers made in a single game in program history.

BATTLE TIME

Amaya Battle is the only active NCAA player (playing from 2022-present) with more than 1,000 career points, 700 career rebounds and 500 career assists.
Battle's career totals stand at 1,425 points, 713 rebounds and 575 assists.
Along with Battle, Rachel Banham is the only other Golden Gopher to record at least 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, and 500 assists in a career.
Battle ranks third all-time in career assists in Minnesota's record book. She is four away from surpassing Lindsay Whalen (578) for second all-time.

McKINNEY MAGIC

In the Maroon and Gold's last six games, Tori McKinney has averaged a team-leading 16.5 points per game and has tallied 19 assists and 11 steals during that stretch.
McKinney recorded back-to-back 20-point games, scoring 23 points against Penn State on Jan. 28 after posting 20 against Wisconsin on Jan. 25.
It marked the first time a Gopher scored 20 or more points in consecutive games since Mara Braun did so against Purdue (21 on Dec. 10, 2023) and Grambling (26 on Dec. 13, 2023).
Against the Nittany Lions, McKinney set a career high threes made in a game, going 5-of-7.

MINNESOTA MARA

In Minnesota's last six games, Mara Braun has been a spark on offense averaging 13.3 points per game.
She led the Gophers and scored a season high 22 points at Penn State on Jan. 28.
At Iowa, she had 16 points and went 4-of-4 from the 3-point line.
Against Nebraska, Braun had a 9-0 run on her own putting away three 3-pointers.

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Players Mentioned

Amaya Battle

Mara Braun

Grace Grocholski

Sophie Hart

Tori McKinney