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Minnesota Gophers
The Associated Press
Updated:

Minnesota sidesteps a major March Madness upset by surging past Green Bay 75-58

Gophers will face No. 5 seed Ole Miss Sunday at 1 p.m.

2026 NCAA WBB Tournament Round 1 - Minnesota vs Green Bay
The Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrate the win during the second half of the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Green Bay Phoenix during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on March 20, 2026.
Steven Garcia for MPR News

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Minnesota survived a home-court scare by No. 13 seed Green Bay, getting 21 points from Amaya Battle and using a 30-point fourth quarter for a 75-58 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.

Sophie Hart had 19 points and Mara Braun saved her best for the sizzling fourth quarter to finish with 16 points as the No. 4 seed Gophers (23-8) celebrated their first tournament appearance since 2018 with a memorable comeback.

Minnesota, which trailed 43-34 midway through the third quarter, will stay home to face No. 5 seed Ole Miss in a second round game at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Maddy Skorupski scored 19 points for the Phoenix (25-9), who simply ran out of steam against the relentless Gophers defense down the stretch.

Minnesota shot 12 for 16 in the fourth quarter with just one turnover. Green Bay went 4 for 15 with five giveaways in the final period and was outscored 41-15 over the final 16:09 of the game.

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2026 NCAA WBB Tournament Round 1 - Minnesota vs Green Bay
The Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrate the win during the second half of the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Green Bay Phoenix during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on March 20, 2026.
Steven Garcia for MPR News
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2026 NCAA WBB Tournament Round 1 - Minnesota vs Green Bay
Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Mara Braun (10) celebrates after a three point basket during the second half of the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Green Bay Phoenix during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on March 20, 2026.
Steven Garcia for MPR News
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2026 NCAA WBB Tournament Round 1 - Minnesota vs Green Bay
Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Finau Tonga (31) celebrates on the bench during the second half of the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Green Bay Phoenix during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on March 20, 2026.
Steven Garcia for MPR News

Green Bay posed a dangerous matchup for Minnesota, with four senior starters and a crisp and disciplined attack. Coach Kayla Karius was once an assistant on Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit's staff at South Dakota, and the Phoenix have long been one of the nation's best mid-major programs. This was their 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the last 33 years.

Horizon League Player of the Year award winner Jenna Guyer, who grew up in the Twin Cities area and starred at Centennial High School, got her third foul in the first half and went scoreless until early in the third quarter while sitting for an extended stretch. She finished with five points and five rebounds.

Up next

Minnesota will stay home to face Ole Miss in a second round game at 1 p.m. Sunday. The game will air on ESPN.

Minnesota and Ole Miss have played only once before, when the Gophers beat the Rebels in the National Women's Invitation Tournament in Amarillo, Texas, in 1979.