Golden Gophers Cruise to NCAA Tournament Win Over Green Bay

Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit praises team's resilience and fan support in 75-58 victory

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:06pm

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The fourth-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the 13-seed Green Bay Phoenix 75-58 in the NCAA Tournament on Friday. The Golden Gophers used a dominant fourth quarter, outscoring the Phoenix 30-9, to secure the near 20-point victory. Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit praised her team's resilience and the energy provided by the home crowd at Williams Arena.

Why it matters

This win marks Minnesota's first NCAA Tournament victory since 2018, giving the Golden Gophers a chance to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005. The team's ability to overcome early struggles and pull away late showcases their mental toughness and composure in high-pressure situations.

The details

The Golden Gophers struggled to find their rhythm early, missing several open shots around the rim and from beyond the arc. Foul trouble for star player Tori McKinney also disrupted Minnesota's flow for stretches. However, the team regained its footing in the fourth quarter, going on a 7-0 run to start the period and then hitting key shots to pull away. Amaya Battle provided a spark off the bench, making several big plays down the stretch.

  • The Golden Gophers will take on the Ole Miss Rebels on Sunday with a chance to clinch their first trip to the Sweet Sixteen since the 2005 NCAA Tournament.

The players

Dawn Plitzuweit

The head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's basketball team, guiding the program to its first NCAA Tournament win since 2018.

Tori McKinney

The star player for the Golden Gophers, who was hampered by foul trouble but helped Minnesota regain control in the fourth quarter.

Amaya Battle

A key contributor off the bench for Minnesota, providing a spark with her energy and making several important plays down the stretch.

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What they’re saying

“Well, first and foremost, hats off to Green Bay. I thought they played a really, really good game.”

— Dawn Plitzuweit, Head Coach, Minnesota Golden Gophers

“I certainly believe that they gave us a ton of energy. And it's a good thing that basketball is a 40-minute game, because we needed 40 minutes, and we played really well, certainly down the stretch of that game, and in the fourth quarter, I think started off with, from what our coaches said, was seven straight stops, and then we were able to get some things going, and able to score at the rim a little bit, and then hit a couple open shots.”

— Dawn Plitzuweit, Head Coach, Minnesota Golden Gophers

“Again, I thought our young ladies played with a great deal of resilience, because when we did get really good looks early in that game, they didn't really fall for us. But I thought our young ladies stayed kind of true to competing, and staying true to ourselves, and continued to play with a lot of toughness, and found a way down the stretch, and that's certainly something that we now can build upon, I think, moving forward, and we're excited to continue playing.”

— Dawn Plitzuweit, Head Coach, Minnesota Golden Gophers

What’s next

The Golden Gophers will take on the Ole Miss Rebels on Sunday with a chance to clinch their first trip to the Sweet Sixteen since the 2005 NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Minnesota's ability to overcome early struggles and pull away late in the game showcases the team's mental toughness and composure in high-pressure situations. This win sets the stage for the Golden Gophers to potentially make a deep tournament run, which would be a significant accomplishment for the program.