The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team (20-11, 8-10 B1G) is making its first Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT) appearance as the No. 2 seed, taking on Toledo (24-8, 13-5 MAC) March 20 at 6 p.m. CT in Toledo, Ohio at Savage Arena. Thursday’s tilt will be the first between the two programs with the game scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+ while Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist will broadcast the game on KFAN+.
Minnesota (20-11, 8-10 B1G) vs. Toledo (24-9, 13-5 MAC)
Stream: ESPN+
Tip Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Savage Arena
Gopher Notables
• The WBIT bid marks Minnesota’s 18th postseason appearance and second consecutive season appearing in a national tournament.
• Last season, the Gophers made their seventh WNIT and advanced to the championship game for the first time in program history.
• 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 10 occasions, four have scored in double figures (Nebraska, Prairie View A&M, UMass Lowell, Illinois, Houston, Rutgers, Maryland, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Oregon).
About the Toledo Game
• Minnesota and Toledo are meeting for the first time with the WBIT appearance being the first in program history. Against the MAC (Mid-American Conference) the Maroon and Gold hold a record of 13-7 with the last meeting being against Eastern Michigan in 2017.
• Toledo finished second in the Mid-American Conference and was the MAC Tournament runner-up, defeating Central Michigan and Buffalo before falling to Ball State in the Championship game.
• Toledo has won 12 of its last 15 games, including seven consecutive wins from Jan. 25 through Feb. 19.
• The postseason bid to the WBIT is Toledo’s fourth-consecutive trip to a national postseason tournament. The Rockets hold a 6-3 record in national tournament games in the last three seasons. The postseason bid marks their 24th national postseason appearance in program history.
About the WBIT
The Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament is in its second year as a 32-team postseason single-elimination tournament owned and funded by the NCAA. The competition is the second-best women’s basketball postseason tournament, behind the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
