The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team (10-1, 0-1 Big Ten) returns to Williams Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT to host the Jackson State Tigers (1-7, 0-0 SWAC).
Minnesota (10-1, 0-1 Big Ten) vs. Jackson State (1-7, 0-0 SWAC)
Tip Time: 7:01 p.m. CT
Location: Williams Arena
Here Come the Golden Gophers
• The Gophers’ defense rank No. 7 nationally in scoring defense (49.8 per game) and No. 17 in defensive field goal percentage (34.4 per game).
• On offense Minnesota has averaged 9.3 turnovers per game, good enough for second in the country and also sit at No. 4 nationally in its assist/turnover ratio (1.76 per game).
• The Maroon and Gold are also No. 19 in turnover margin (value: 8.09).
Scouting the Tigers
• Jackson State sits at 1-7 on the year, with their lone win coming over Mississippi University for Women earlier this season.
• Margaret Richards is in her first year at the helm of the program, coming to Jackson State from Mercer.
• Prior to Mercer, she joined the staff after an eight-year run as head coach at Alabama A&M where she paced the Bulldogs to nearly 100 wins and six appearances in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament.
• The Tigers have won the SWAC regular season the last five seasons and have been tournament champions three of the last four years.
Last Time Out
• Last week, Minnesota picked up a 90-44 win at The Barn over North Florida.
• The victory over the Ospreys marked the 10th-straight win for the Gophers, their longest undefeated streak since the 2018-19 season (12 games).
• On Sunday, the Maroon and Gold suffered its first loss of the year to No. 25 Nebraska, 65-84.
• Despite the loss, four Gophers scored in double digits: Mallory Heyer (12 points), Tori McKinney (11 points), Grace Grocholski (10 points), Alexsia Rose (10 points).
Gopher Notables
• Battle sits at No. 5 in the Big Ten with 45 assists on the year and is averaging 4.1 assists per game, ranking her ninth in the conference. Her season high (8) came against Montana on Nov. 24.
• McKinney leads Minnesota at line going 23-25 (.920 average). She has the fourth best average amongst the conference.
• Stewart continues to lead the Gophers in total points (124). After returning to Nebraska, Stewart has now had nine games scoring at least nine points.
Stewart has led the Gophers in points four times this season, setting a season high 18 points against SMU.
• Grocholski continues to shine from beyond the arc. She’s made 22 and is shooting .306. The North Prairie, Wis., native sits at sixth in the Big Ten in total 3-pointers made.
• Junior Mallory Heyer has grabbed 77 rebounds this season (23 offensive, 54 defensive) and leads the Maroon and Gold in the category. Heyer led Minnesota in rebounds last season with 310 and was second overall in 2022-23 with 213.
Rose on the Rise
• Transfer guard Alexsia Rose hit her season high points against the Huskers (10)
• The graduate was also 4-4 in field goals and went 3-4 from the line.
• Against North Florida she had seven assists, one assist shy from Minnesota’s individual season high.
• Through 11 games, Rose has 29 assists, 27 points, and 10 steals.
Spreading the Wealth
• It’s been a team effort through Minnesota’s first 11 games in scoring.
• The 2024-25 Golden Gophers have hit multiple scoring team records.
• Against UMass Lowell, Minnesota had four Gophers score in double digits for the first time since last season – McKenna Johnson (13), Taylor Woodson (12), Tori McKinney (11), Sophie Hart (10).
• Against Montana, the Gophers had five score in double digits for the first time since last season – Sophie Hart (16), Grace Grocholski (14), Amaya Battle (14), McKinney (13), and Mallory Heyer (10).
• Against UNF, the Maroon and Gold had six score in double digits for the first time since Nov. 11, 2017 – Grocholski (15), Annika Stewart (15), McKinney (12), Hart (12), Battle (11), Woodson (11).
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
