The Minnesota women’s basketball team fell to Alabama A&M 75-68 Tuesday night in Huntsville, Ala. 

Behind Whiquitta Tobar, who scored seven of the Bulldogs’ first nine points and finished with a game-high 31 points, Alabama A&M survived the resilient Gophers (7-5) due to Minnesota’s ineffectiveness from the free throw line in the first half. The Gophers shot just 11-for-22 from the charity strike before halftime.

The Gophers held a brief three-point lead early in the first half after a quick 9-0 run, but they were unable to gain a bigger lead all night, and eventually fell behind by as much as 11 points in the second half. 

The Gophers also out-rebounded Alabama A&M 38-27, but accumulated 20 turnovers. 

Junior Kiara Buford was back in the starting lineup after missing the team’s win over Cal Poly on Sunday. She had twisted her ankle in practice Saturday, but appeared to back in form with 12 points and seven rebounds in 34 minutes. 

Sophomore Leah Cotton led the Gophers once again with 21 points off the bench, while sophomore center Katie Loberg continues to make her way back from injury with 10 points and five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.

The Gophers will face Northern Arizona at Williams Arena next Wednesday in their final non-conference game of the year before heading to Illinois to start the Big Ten season.