The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team (5-0, 0-0 Big Ten) returns home this Wednesday to host Eastern Illinois (0-3, 0-0 OVC) at 7 p.m. CT.
Minnesota (5-0, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. Eastern Illinois (0-3, 0-0 OVC)
Stream: B1G+
Tip Time: 7:01 p.m. CT
Scouting the Panthers
• Head Coach Marqus McGlothan is in his first season as head coach of EIU after serving his last two seasons on the Panthers’ staff as associate head coach
• Eastern Illinois has dropped contests against North Dakota, North Dakota State, and No. 23 Illinois
• Wednesday night’s game will be the Panthers last road game before their home opener against Loyola Chicago on Saturday
• Jayda Johnson came off the bench against No. 23 Illinois, leading the EIU with eight points, four rebounds, and a steal
• Kiyley Flowers has led the Ohio Valley Conference in steals the last two seasons
• So far this season, Flowers has 20 steals through three games, ranked first in the NCAA in steals per game and second in total steals
Last Time Out
• Minnesota is 5-0 for the first time since 2018-19, they started 12-0 that year
• In Tempe, Ariz., at the Briann January Classic the Gophers grabbed wins against Oregon State and SMU
• After scoring 11 points vs. Oregon State and 13 points vs. SMU, Mara Braun has now scored in double figures in 43 of her 56 career college games
• Grace Grocholski had a combined 22 rebounds in her last two games, the sophomore hit a career high in rebounds (13), offensive rebounds (7), and defensive rebounds (6) against SMU. Grocholski had nine in Minnesota’s win over Oregon State.
• Taylor Woodson had a career high 18 points and six field goals made against SMU. She set a career high seven boards against Oregon State and matched it the following day against the Mustangs.
Series History
• Wednesday’s contest is the fourth meeting between the Gophers and Panthers
• Minnesota leads the all-time series, 2-1, with wins coming in 2020 and 2022 in Minneapolis
• EIU’s 73-72 win over Minnesota came back in 2000 at the Kansas Invitational
Solid Starters
• Junior Mallory Heyer made her 70th and 71st starts in Arizona
• The Chaska, Minn., native has started every game of her college career
• This season, Heyer has grabbed 35 rebounds including a season high 10 against UMass Lowell and SMU
• Against UMass Lowell, Sophie Hart scored a season high 10 points and six rebounds
• Grocholski set a career high in rebounds against Oregon State (9) and surpassed it against SMU (13)
• Braun had zero turnovers vs. Oregon State, marking the 13th time in her career she has posted zero turnovers in a game
• In Arizona, Amaya Battle had a combined six assists and nine rebounds, all defensive
Record Book Watch
• Two Gophers are on the cusp of hitting 1,000 points this season
• Mara Braun sits at 922 while Battle is at 655
• Head Coach Dawn Plitzuweit is also close to hitting a milestone: 400 career wins
• Her two wins at the Briann January Classic marked her 389th and 390th wins
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
