Gophers Return Home to Face Purdue on National Girls and Women in Sports Day Game

MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota women's basketball team (15-6, 6-4 Big Ten) returns to Williams Arena for its National Girls and Women in Sports Day game Sunday. The Golden Gophers host Purdue (11-10, 3-7 Big Ten) for a 2 p.m. CT tipoff, live on B1G+. Fans can also listen on KFAN+ 96.7 FM or the iHeartRadio app with Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist.

Minnesota (15-6, 6-4 Big Ten) vs. Purdue (11-10, 3-7 Big Ten)
Stream: B1G+
Tip Time: 2 p.m. CT
Radio: KFAN+ 96.7 FM, and the iHeartRadio app (Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist)
Location: Williams Arena
Promotions: National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Parking: Due to a number of events on campus this weekend, fans are encouraged to purchase a parking pass in advance here. Individuals arriving on campus without a parking pass are encouraged to park in Lot 37, Maroon Lot, Gold Lot, or Ski-U-Mah Lot.

STARTING FIVE

The Golden Gophers return to Williams Arena on Sunday afternoon to face the Purdue Boilermakers. Last season, Minnesota defeated Purdue 74-61 at Mackey Arena.
The Maroon and Gold look to extend their three-game conference winning streak after victories over Oregon (65-60), Wisconsin (88-53) and Penn State (87-66).
For the second consecutive game, Minnesota had four players score in double figures, led by Tori McKinney with 23 points and Mara Braun with 22. Battle and Hart added 12 points apiece.
Minnesota shot 51.5% from the field and 45.5% from 3-point range. It marked the fourth time this season the Gophers reached those marks, including a program-record two consecutive games shooting better than 50% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc. It is the most times Minnesota has hit those percentages in a season since 2018.
The win over Penn State marked just the 10th game in program history in which Minnesota shot better than 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range and 90% from the free throw line. The Gophers also achieved the mark twice earlier this season against Wyoming. It was the first time since 2018 Minnesota reached those benchmarks.
Despite recording its fewest field-goal attempts of the season, Minnesota shot a season-high 59.3% (32 of 54) from the field and 56.3% (9 of 16) from 3-point range against Wisconsin. The field-goal percentage was the highest under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. The Gophers also totaled 21 assists on 32 made field goals.
Battle and Grocholski look to continue their double-figure scoring streaks this week. Battle has scored in double figures in four straight games, including a season-high 20 points against Oregon.

PURDUE SERIES HISTORY

Purdue leads the all-time series 48-26, including a 22-14 mark at Williams Arena and a 26-10 record at Mackey Arena. The Gophers lead at neutral sites, 2-0.
Minnesota has won the last three meetings and earned its first road win in the series since 2020 last season.
In that win, Grace Grocholski led the Gophers with 27 points, followed by Sophie Hart with 22 and Amaya Battle with 11.

WHERE THEY RANK

Minnesota is ranked No. 13 in the NET and is one of 10 Big Ten teams in the top 25. The Gophers also received one vote in this week's AP Top 25 and three votes in the WBCA USA Today Coaches Poll.
Minnesota leads the nation with 11 games holding opponents to 50 points or fewer. No other team has more than 10 such games, and the next-closest Big Ten teams are UCLA and Maryland with seven.
The Gophers' 1.58 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks sixth nationally and second in the Big Ten.
Minnesota's scoring defense allows 54.8 points per game, ranking No. 10 nationally and first in the conference.
The Maroon and Gold rank No. 2 nationally and first in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers per game, averaging 10.4.

MCKINNEY MAGIC

Tori McKinney recorded back-to-back 20-point games. She scored 23 points against Penn State on Wednesday after posting 20 against Wisconsin last Sunday.
It marked the first time a Gopher scored 20 or more points in consecutive games since Mara Braun did so against Purdue (21 points on Dec. 10, 2023) and Grambling (26 points on Dec. 13, 2023).
Against the Nittany Lions, McKinney set a career high threes made in a game, going 5-7.

THE ORIGINAL G-MONEY

This season, Grace Grocholski leads Minnesota with 288 points and averages 13.7 points per game.
The guard-forward is shooting 51.7% from the field, 47.7% from 3-point range and 77.3% from the free throw line. She is one of two Big Ten players to post those numbers, along with Nebraska's Britt Prince.
The guard-forward has 204 career made 3-pointers, ranking No. 8 all time in Minnesota program history.
Grocholski ranks second nationally and leads the Big Ten in 3-point percentage.
She also ranks fifth in the conference in 3-pointers made (53) and fifth in the Big Ten in 3-pointers made per game (2.52).
Grocholski ranks second on the Gophers' roster with 55 assists.
Against No. 7 Maryland, Grocholski knocked down a career-high nine 3-pointers on her way to a career-best 31 points, tying for the second-most 3-pointers made in a single game in program history.

BATTLE TIME

Amaya Battle is one of only two active NCAA players with more than 1,000 career points, 600 career rebounds and 500 career assists.
Battle has recorded 1,367 points, 676 rebounds and 560 assists. Olivia Miles is the only other player to reach those marks.
Along with Battle, Rachel Banham is the only other Golden Gopher to record at least 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, and 500 assists
Battle ranks third all time in career assists in Minnesota's record book. She is 19 away from surpassing Lindsay Whalen (578) and being No. 2 all-time.

Upcoming Events

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Amaya Battle

Mara Braun

Grace Grocholski

Sophie Hart

Tori McKinney