No. 4 Minnesota Meets No. 1 UCLA in Sweet 16

MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 4 seeded University of Minnesota women's basketball team (24-8, 13-5 Big Ten) has earned a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005 and will take on the No. 1 seeded UCLA Bruins (33-1, 18-0 Big Ten) Friday in Sacramento, Calif., at the Golden 1 Center. Tip off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT live on ESPN with Beth Mowins on play-by-play, Debbie Antonelli as the analyst, and Jess Sims as the sideline reporter. Fans can also tune in with Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist on KFAN+ 96.7 FM.

The winner of Friday's game will advance to the Elite 8 and face either No. 3 Duke or No. 2 LSU.

NCAA SWEET 16
No. 4 Minnesota (24-8, 13-5 Big Ten) vs. No. 1 UCLA (33-1, 18-0 Big Ten)
TV: ESPN (Beth Mowins - PxP, Debbie Antonelli - Analyst, Jess Sims - Sideline)
Time Time: 6:30 pm CT
Radio: KFAN+ 96.7 FM (Justin Gaard, Lynnette Sjoquist)
Location: Sacramento, Calif. (Golden 1 Center)

MINNESOTA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

Minnesota, 12-2 over its last 14 games, is now only one of three Big Ten teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament as UCLA and Michigan also advanced to the Sweet 16.
Minnesota reached the Sweet 16 by first defeating Green Bay, 75-58, in the opening round. The Gophers trailed 49-45 going into the fourth quarter but opened on a 14-0 run and outscored the Phoenix, 30-9, in the fourth. The second round saw Amaya Battle hit a tiebreaking jump shot with 0.8 seconds left, lifting Minnesota past Ole Miss, 65-63, in the second round to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in 21 years.
The 2025-26 NCAA Tournament run is Minnesota's first since 2018 and 11th in school history.
Minnesota hosted in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005, when the Gophers were a No. 3 seed, its highest in program history. Minnesota has only hosted the NCAA Tournament two other times, in back-to-back seasons in 2004 and 2005.
After defeating No. 5 seed Ole Miss on Sunday, Minnesota is now 14-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, which includes a run to the Final Four in 2004.
The Maroon and Gold have now advanced to the Sweet 16 four times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2026), while also competing in one Elite Eight (2004) and one Final Four (2004).
Minnesota made its first NCAA appearance in 1994.
This will be head coach Dawn Plitzuweit's second appearance in the Sweet 16 at the Division I level. While at South Dakota, Plitzuweit led the Coyotes in 2022 to a 29-6 regular season record and 17-1 Summit League mark. In Waco, Texas, they took down Ole Miss in the first round and Baylor in the second round before eventually falling to Michigan in the regional round.
Minnesota recorded its two highest attended games of the season this past week during the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. On Friday, there were 10,355 in attendance and it was beaten on Sunday with a season-high crowd of 10,763. It marked the highest attended crowd for Minnesota since playing Iowa at home in front of a sellout crowd of 14,625 on Feb. 28, 2024.
The Gophers' average attendance between both games was 10,559 and was the fifth-highest attendance for the top 16 seeds hosting. Minnesota was the second highest attended Big Ten school, while Iowa took the No. 1 overall spot with an average attendance of 14,332.

STARTING FIVE

The Golden Gophers picked up their 13th win in Big Ten play on March 1st, defeating Illinois 78-73 on the road. It marked the third time in program history Minnesota reached 13 wins in conference play, also doing so in 1984-85 (18-10, 13-5 Big Ten) and 1982-83 (20-7, 13-5 Big Ten).
The 13 Big Ten wins this season match the combined total for head coach Dawn Plitzuweit in her first two seasons at Minnesota. Plitzuweit's 26 league wins in her first three seasons rank as the third most in program history behind only Pam Borton (33) and Marlene Stollings (27).
Head Coach Dawn Plitzuweit is only the second coach in program history to achieve 20 wins in three consecutive seasons. The other to do so was Pam Borton in 2002-03 (25-6), 2003-04 (25-9) and 2004-05 (26-8). In Plitzuweit's career, she totaled 17 winning seasons, two 30-win campaigns, and now 12 20-win seasons.
The Gophers won nine consecutive games from Jan. 18, 2026-Feb. 18, 2026. It was the team's eight-longest win streak in program history and the longest since opening the 2024-25 season with 10 consecutive victories. In addition, it was the Gophers' second longest win streak within the Big Ten ever. The only longer streak was a program-record 11 straight wins from February of 2003 to January of 2004.

WHERE THEY RANK

The Gophers are ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25 and No. 19 USA Today Coaches Poll.
Minnesota is ranked No. 9 in the NET and is one of 10 Big Ten teams in the top 25. The only two Big Ten teams ahead are No. 2 UCLA and No. 6 Michigan.
Minnesota's 1.49 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fifth nationally and second in the Big Ten, only behind AP No. 1 UConn (1.87), No. 2 UCLA (1.80), Iowa State (1.58), and Texas (1.51).
The Maroon and Gold's defense allows only 58.1 points per game, ranking them second in the Big Ten and 33rd in the nation.

BATTLE TIME

Against Ohio State on Feb. 18, Amaya Battle officially surpassed Lindsay Whalen to be Minnesota's No. 2 all-time assists leader. She sits behind Debbie Hunter (1979-83) who ended her career with 633.
Battle's career total stands at 1,527 points, 768 rebounds, and 595 assists. She stands 11th all-time in Gophers' scoring, 10th in career rebounds, second in assists, and second overall in career starts and consecutive starts.
Battle is one of two active NCAA players with more than 1,520 career points, 765 career rebounds and 595 career assists along with TCU's Olivia Miles. Battle is the only one to do it at one school.
In addition, she is one of 17 players since at least 1981-82 with her career numbers. Other players among the list include Catilin Clark, Dawn Staley, and Sabrina Ionescu.
Along with Battle, Rachel Banham is the only other Golden Gopher to record at least 1,500 points, 600 career rebounds and 500 assists in a career.
This season, the Hopkins, Minn., native has increased her rebounding from averaging 5.1 rebounds per game last season to 7.5 this season. Notably, she's recorded 240 rebounds this season, an improvement from 182 last season.
Battle hit the game-winning buzzer beater to knock off Ole Miss and send the Gophers to the Sweet 16. She grabbed her fifth double-double of the season, scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Against the Phoenix on Friday, Battle matched her season high of 21 points. Battle went 3-4 from beyond the arc and had eight boards.
Battle has recorded eight consecutive games hitting double-digit points and has scored in double figures the last 15 of 16 games.
In addition, Battle leads the Gophers with five double-doubles on the year: (13 points, 12 rebounds vs. Maryland on Dec. 7, 2025), (12 points, 10 rebounds at Penn State on Jan. 28, 2026), (12 points, 14 rebounds at Iowa on Feb. 5, 2026), (13 points, 12 rebounds vs. Ohio State on Feb. 18, 2026), (14 points, 11 rebounds vs. Ole Miss on March 22, 2026)

McKINNEY MAGIC

In the Maroon and Gold's last 12 games, Tori McKinney has averaged 13.8 points per game, has tallied 40 assists and has a team-leading 31 steals along with eight blocks during that stretch. She's hit double figures in 11 of the last 13 games.
This season, the Minnetonka, Minn., native leads Minnesota's offense averaging 12.9 points per game.
Against Michigan State on Feb. 22, McKinney had a career-high 29 points, 10 field goals made, and 19 field goal attempts.
McKinney recorded back-to-back 20-point games at the end of January, 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 teammate Mara Braun did so in 2023 against Purdue (21 on Dec. 10, 2023) and Grambling (26 on Dec. 13, 2023).
This season, McKinney has improved her scoring average to 12.9 from 10.6 last season, and has scored 360 points in a span of 28 games compared to 372 in 35 last year. She's surpassed her 47 steals last season as she currently sits at a team-leading 57 this year.
McKinney ranks sixth in the Big Ten, averaging 2.0 steals per game.

THE ORIGINAL G-MONEY

This season, Grace Grocholski leads Minnesota with 388 points and is second at 12.1 points per game.
A North Prairie, Wis., native, Grocholski has 219 career made 3-pointers, ranking No. 5 all time in Minnesota program history.
Grocholski ranks second on the Gophers' roster with 94 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.
In Minnesota's win over Ohio State on Feb 18, Grocholski went 4-8 from the arc. She hit two 3-pointers in 28 seconds in the third quarter to extend Minnesota's lead to eight.

SOPH THE GOPH

Graduate center Sophie Hart recorded her fourth double-double of the season against Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament, recording 12 points and a career-high 19 rebounds.
Her 19 rebounds also tied the program record for rebounds in a Big Ten Tournament game. The last player to grab 19 rebounds was Amanda Zahui B. against Wisconsin on March 6, 2014.
Hart became the first Gopher this season to hit double-double numbers in the first half of a game. By the end of the first half against the Buckeyes, the center had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The game marked her seventh this season grabbing 10 or more boards and third recording 11 or more.
In addition, Hart became the third Gopher this season to reach 1,000 career points.
Against Green Bay, Hart scored 19 points with six rebounds, an assist and steal. It marked her eighth-consecutive game hitting double figures in points.
In the second round against Ole Miss, Hart had 10 points to help lead the Gophers to the Sweet 16.
Hart also had double-doubles against Rutgers on Feb. 8 (17 points, 10 rebounds), Samford on Dec. 1, 2025 (17 points, 10 rebounds), and Ohio State on Feb. 18, 2026 (18 points, 10 rebounds).
The Farmington, Minn., native has increased her scoring average to 11.1 points per game compared to last season's 8.9.
Hart has surpassed her season high in steals this season with 19, she previously set it during the 2023-24 season with 18.

MINNESOTA MARA

In Minnesota's last 10 regular season games, Mara Braun was a spark on offense, averaging 13.2 points per game.
Against Green Bay, Braun had 16 points and six boards. She went 3-5 from the 3-point line and had one assist and steal.
In the second round, Braun had 17 points and matched her season high in 3-pointers made, going 4-5 from beyond the arc. She hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 1:15 left in regulation against Ole Miss.
Against Nebraska on Feb. 12, Braun had a 9-0 run on her own putting away three 3-pointers.
Braun had a team-high 20 points in Minnesota's win over Wisconsin on Feb. 15.
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

IN THE ROTATION

Transfers Finau Tonga and Brylee Glenn have made an impact off the bench during the 2025-26 season for Minnesota.
Tonga is averaging 4.7 points and 12.3 minutes per game this year.
Tonga, a native of Taylorsville, Utah, came out big against Wisconsin on defense with two blocks.
Glenn, a Kansas State transfer, is averaging 6.4 points and 22.5 minutes per contest. She's totaled 204 points as a Gopher and is 19 points away from hitting 1,000 career points.

ALL-BIG TEN GOPHERS

Four Minnesota standouts, Mara Braun, Amaya Battle, Tori McKinney and Grace Grocholski, earned All-Big Ten recognition.
Grocholski was a consensus All-Big Ten Second Team honoree, while Battle was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team by both the league's coaches and media. McKinney was placed on the Second Team by the coaches, while the media put her on the Third Team. Braun was tabbed as an Honorable Mention honoree by both the coaches and media.
It marks the most individual honors Minnesota has received since 2020, when four Gophers were selected (Taiye Bello (Coaches & Media 2), Jasmine Powell (Coaches & Media HM), Gadiva Hubbard (Coaches HM), Sara Scalia (Coaches HM)).
Additionally, Battle and McKinney were named to the league's All-Defensive Team, marking the first time Minnesota has had two on the team in program history.
Sophie Hart was selected as Minnesota's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.

TOP-TEN WINS

On Feb. 18, Minnesota defeated the 10th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, 74-61, with a seven-player rotation. Along with the Gophers' starters, only Finau Tonga and Brylee Glenn came off the bench. It was the first time since at least 2002-03 that the Gophers beat a top-10 team using seven or fewer players.
Only two other teams in the country have beaten a top-10 opponent with seven players this season. Duke defeated No. 6 Louisville, 59-58, on Feb. 5 and UCLA defeated No. 8 Michigan, 69-66, on Feb. 8.
The ranked win over No. 10 Ohio State marked the first top-25 matchup victory for Minnesota at home since 2018 when No. 20 Minnesota took down No. 12 Syracuse 72-68 at Williams Arena. In addition, it was the first time the Gophers beat a top-10 opponent while ranked since 2006 when No. 12 Minnesota beat No. 3 Ohio State 66-63 in overtime at the Big Ten Tournament.
With three top-25 wins and two top-10 victories, It's the first time since 2017-18 that Minnesota has defeated three ranked opponents in the same season and first time since 2003-04 it has defeated two top-10 opponents.
The 91-85 win at then-No. 10 Iowa on Feb. 5 marked Minnesota's second victory over an AP Top 25 opponent this season, its first outright win over a top-10 team since a 93-74 victory over No. 10 Maryland at Williams Arena in 2018 and its first top-10 road win since 2003, when the Gophers defeated No. 9 Stanford 68-56 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
It was also Minnesota's first regular-season top-10 road win since beating No. 5 Wisconsin 92-85 in 2002.
Minnesota snapped an 11-game losing streak against Iowa, earning its first win over the Hawkeyes since a 90-89 victory in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament.

Upcoming Events

Players Mentioned

Amaya Battle

Mara Braun

Brylee Glenn

Grace Grocholski

Sophie Hart

Tori McKinney

Finau Tonga