Surrounded by a sea of red at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Nebraska, the Gophers’ perfect season ended as they could not overcome the Huskers on Saturday and fell 65-84 in the conference opener.
Without leading scorer Mara Braun for the Gophers and last season’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year Natalie Potts for the Huskers, both teams were without key guards. The Huskers were among nine Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25 going into Sunday’s matchup.
Although undefeated, the Gophers were not among the top 25 teams.
Gophers head coach Dawn Plitzuweit said her team only saw bits and pieces of the Huskers’ playing style from starting the season facing teams with an average winning percentage of .341.
“They’re one of the best in the country and scoring efficiently at a 50% clip,” Plitzuweit said before the game. “They’re scoring 80-some points a game.”
And sure enough, the Huskers put 80-plus points on the board.
The Gophers’ double-digit deficit started in the first quarter, as they shot 20% from the field. The Huskers prioritized efficiency, taking fewer shots overall but hitting 51.7% from the field.
Despite scoring more consistently in the second half, the Gophers could not overcome the early 17-point deficit.
In her first Big Ten matchup, Gophers freshman guard Tori McKinney was among the highest point scorers for her team. She contributed 11 points and two steals in her 35 minutes of play.
McKinney started the matchup strong, recording a steal and taking it the length of the court to finish with a layup over the Huskers’ freshman Britt Prince in the first quarter.
Positive plays from the maroon and gold were quickly answered by the Huskers when Prince dropped a 3-pointer following McKinney’s layup.
Gophers sophomore Grace Grocholski was another key player on Sunday. She recorded 10 points, her sixth consecutive and seventh overall time recording double-digit points.
Plitzuweit said Grocholski is someone who improved significantly since last year and took on a more versatile role, especially in the absence of Braun this season.
“Last year when we looked at our team just in general, we probably had one or two players that we could really use in a certain type of an action,” Plitzuweit said. “(This year) Grace is one of those players, we need her and we expect her to do an awful lot for us.”
Grocholski acknowledged the challenge of playing without Braun at this point in the season but expressed confidence in the team’s preparation for Nebraska.
“It’s always tough when an injury happens but I think we’re prepared on our own,” Grocholski said. “We just hope she recovers well and soon.”
After losing to Nebraska and struggling to capitalize on the 14 forced turnovers, the Gophers will need to regroup. Plitzuweit said they need to prioritize consistent possession as they shift their attention to their upcoming matchup against Jackson State on Wednesday.
