The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team (24-11, 8-10 B1G) will face Belmont (26-12, 15-5 MVC) on Wednesday in the WBIT Championship. Tip off is set for 5 p.m. CT live from Indianapolis, Ind., at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Minnesota (24-11, 8-10 B1G) vs. Belmont (26-12, 15-5 MVC)
TV: ESPN2
Tip Time: 5 p.m. CT
Radio: KFAN+ 96.7 FM and the iHeartRadio app (Tanner Hoops and Lynnette Sjoquist)
Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse
Gopher Notables
• The WBIT bid marks Minnesota’s 18th postseason appearance and second consecutive season appearing in a national tournament.
• Last season, in its seventh WNIT appearance, Minnesota advanced to the championship for the first time in program history. This season, the WBIT championship appearance is also a first. The 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons mark the first time Minnesota has appeared in a national postseason tournament championship in back-to-back seasons.
• Minnesota collected two All-Big Ten Awards at the end of the regular season, as voted on by the league’s coaches and media. Amaya Battle and Grace Grocholski earned All-Big Ten Honorable mention nods, by both coaches and media. Senior Maggie Czinano was also named the team’s representative for the Sportsmanship Award for the second consecutive season.
• Minnesota set a program record this season with 12 nonconference wins, surpassing the previous high of 11 set in seven different seasons, most recently in 2018-19.
• On three occasions this season, five Gophers have scored in double digits (Montana, Illinois, Ohio State).On 11 occasions, four have scored in double figures (Nebraska, Prairie View A&M, UMass Lowell, Illinois, Houston, Rutgers, Maryland, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon, and Florida).
• The Golden Gophers had 10 Academic All-Big Ten selections in Amaya Battle, Mara Braun, Maggie Czinano, Grace Grocholski, Sophie Hart, Mallory Heyer, Niamya Holloway, McKenna Johnson, Kennedy Klick and Brynn Senden.
• Battle, Grocholski, and Annika Stewart earned CSC Academic All-District nods.
WBIT Semifinal Recap
• Four Gophers scored in double figures, led by 20 points from Grace Grocholski, 14 from Tori McKinney, 13 from Mallory Heyer, and 10 from Amaya Battle.
• Heyer notched her sixth double-double of the season. Alongside her 13 points, the junior had a season high 15 boards.
• Minnesota kept Florida to 52 points, a team that averages 74.6 points per game.
About the Belmont Game
• Wednesday’s match up is the second time in program history that Minnesota and Belmont will meet. The two teams last met on Dec. 14, 2016 with the Gophers picking up the 75-74 win at Williams Arena.
• After defeating Missouri State in the WBIT second round, Minnesota is now 28-16 against the Missouri Valley Conference.
• The Bruins have four players averaging double figures in Jailyn Banks (12.8), Kendal Cheesman (12.0), Kendall Holmes (11.1), and Tuti Jones (10.2).
• Cheesman has 321 rebounds this season (No. 26 in NCAA, No. 2 in MVC) and is averaging 8.7 boards per game (No. 78 in NCAA, No. 3 in MVC).
• Banks ranks top 10 in the MVC at no. 10 in assist/turnover ratio (1.33 value), no. 8 in assists (122), and no. 9 in assists per game (3.4).
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
