Gopher Glory: Unleashing the Spirit of University of Minnesota Athletics

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The No. 24 Minnesota women’s basketball squad (16-2, 4-2 B1G) suffered a setback in a 99-92 defeat against the No. 8 Maryland Terrapins (16-1, 6-1 B1G) on the road Tuesday evening.

The Golden Gophers had four athletes reach double-digit scoring, spearheaded by Amaya Battle, who achieved 19 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Grace Grocholski added 16 points, five assists, and two steals, while Mallory Heyer contributed 15 points.

Minnesota exhibited excellent ball distribution during Tuesday’s match, accumulating 17 assists on 34 successful field goals. Battle’s six assists topped the Maroon & Gold.

The Gophers capitalized on 18 Maryland turnovers while committing 12 of their own during the game. Minnesota converted those takeaways into 20 points on the offensive end. Grocholski’s two steals were notable for the Gophers.

How It Unfolded

After trailing 11-8, Minnesota initiated a 5-0 run with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter, capped by a basket from Battle, taking a 13-11 lead. The Gophers managed to hold that lead and concluded the first quarter with a 19-17 edge. Minnesota achieved most of its scoring in the paint during the first quarter, netting 14 of its 19 points close to the hoop.

The Maroon & Gold could not keep their lead in the second quarter and went into halftime down 42-37.

The deficit for Minnesota expanded after the intermission, with the Gophers facing a 71-60 disadvantage heading into the final quarter. The team demonstrated solid performance near the rim, achieving 14 of its 23 points in the paint.

Maryland continued to extend its lead in the fourth quarter, building a 93-73 margin before Minnesota mounted a 16-0 surge, capped by Battle’s layup, narrowing the gap to 93-89 with just 36 seconds remaining in the game. However, Maryland countered and outscored the Gophers throughout the remainder of the match, ultimately concluding the contest with a score of 99-92. Minnesota capitalized on seven turnovers committed by Maryland in the fourth quarter, scoring nine points from those recoveries.

Game Insights

» The Maroon & Gold were impressive from long range, sinking eight three-pointers in the matchup.

» Minnesota recorded a total of 17 assists during the game.

» The Gophers’ defense was responsible for forcing 18 turnovers.

» Minnesota excelled on the offensive boards, grabbing 14 boards on that end.

» Amaya Battle was the leading scorer for the Gophers with 19 points.

» Minnesota’s Sophie Hart secured a team-high nine rebounds.