The Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-0, 0-0 B1G) are set to open the season at home against the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (0-0, 0-0 NEC) at Williams Arena on Monday, Nov. 4. The game can be streamed on B1G+ with Maria Cate and Phoenix Ferrari and can be heard on KFAN+ with Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist on the call.
Minnesota (0-0, 0-0 B1G) vs Central Connecticut State (0-0, 0-0 NEC)
Stream: B1G+ (Maria Cate and Phoenix Ferrari)
Tip Time: 7:01 p.m. CT
Scouting the Blue Devils
• Monday night’s game marks the first of the year for Central Connecticut State.
• The Blue Devils were picked to finish second in the NEC Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll while senior guard Belle Lanpher was selected to the Preseason All-NEC Team.
• Head coach Way Veney in entering her second season at the helm of the program.
There’s a First Time for Everything
• Monday’s game between the Golden Gophers and Blue Devils is the first meeting between the two opponents.
• Minnesota is one of two Power Four schools to appear on Central Connecticut State’s schedule.
• Besides the Gophers, the Blues Devils will face the Cincinnati Bearcats in December.
Opening Night
• Minnesota is 36-15 in season opening contests all-time and are 28-5 at home in season openers.
• In those 33 games at home the Gophers have averaged 81.9 points per game and have won on average by a score of 21.1 points.
• In last season’s home opener, Mara Braun led the way with 25 points, six assists, and three steals in 29 minutes of action.
New Kids on the Block
Minnesota’s roster features two true freshmen in McKenna Johnson and Tori McKinney. Johnson hails from Wilmot, Wis., and was an early enrollee last season and did not see any game action. In high school, Johnson was a No. 60 ranked in the top 100 ESPN rankings. During her final high school season, the 5-9 guard averaged 26.1 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per contest. She competed for the Wisconsin Flight Elite program, where she helped lead them to the EYBL Final Four in 2023.
A Minnetonka, Minn., native, McKinney joins the ‘U’ after a prep career playing for North Tartan. On her AAU team, Mckinney averaged 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 steals. For the Skippers, McKinney played at the varsity level at Minnetonka since her seventh-grade year.
Award Watch
Junior Guard Mara Braun was named to the 20-player watch list for the 2025 Ann Meyers-Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award, as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last Tuesday. Named after the first player, male or female, selected to an All-America Team in four straight college seasons, the annual award in its eighth year recognizes the top shooting guard in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates for North Tartan. On her AAU team, Mckinney averaged 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 steals. For the Skippers, McKinney played at the varsity level at Minnetonka since her seventh-grade year.
Tactful Transfers
• Graduate Alexsia Rose joins Minnesota after playing her senior season at UMass. With the Minutemen, Rose averaged 3.1 points per game, 1.5 rebounds per game and 1.5 assists per game.
• Minnesota native Taylor Woodson was added to the Gophers’ squad after competing at Michigan during her freshman season. For the Wolverines, Woodson played in 32 games and averaged 8.9 minutes, 1.9 points, and 1.7 rebounds.
• After four seasons at Nebraska, Annika Stewart will compete for the Gophers during her graduate season. With the Huskers, she played in 111 games and scored 572 points and snagged 268 rebounds. She also excelled in the classroom, as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a 2023 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
• Hailing from Apple Valley, Calif., Jordan Brooks comes to Minnesota after spending one season at CSU Bakersfield after playing at Victory Valley College.
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
