The Gophers women’s basketball ended their season last year without a championship, losing to Saint Louis University in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament finals. 

However, they did not leave empty-handed this year. Redeeming their previous season’s loss, they beat Belmont University in the 2025 Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament. 

Head coach Dawn Plitzuweit was excited for the potential of the team when the season began in November. 

“We’re better than we were last year,” Plitzuweit said. “We’re also deeper and we have more athleticism, and we’re stronger right now, too.”

Everything Plitzuweit mentioned was apparent in the Gopher’s early games. Their first four games were easy wins, outscoring their opponent by at least 20 points each time.

Then leading scorer and playmaker, junior Mara Braun, broke her foot on Nov. 20, the same foot she broke the prior year. 

When Braun went down for the season, sophomore Grace Grocholski stepped up.

Grocholski averaged only four points through the first four games. The next four games, without Braun, she averaged 15.

The Gophers overcame the loss of Braun, going 10-0 before being given their first loss by No. 25 University of Nebraska, the first Big Ten team they played.

When January ended the Gophers were 18-4. March Madness hopes were still alive, even with the loss against the University of Southern California.

With the new additions from the now-defunct Pac-12, women’s basketball got more challenging. Every new Big Ten team introduced themselves to Minnesota by beating them.

The Gophers only won twice in February, hindering their March Madness chances and when the season ended, all ten losses came from Big Ten teams.

Qualification for the WBIT gave the Gophers a chance to redeem their disappointing season.

Besides an overtime thriller against Gonzaga University, the Gophers proved throughout the WBIT that they were the No. 2 seed for a reason.

The finale took place at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, against the small private school, Belmont University.

Even though Belmont had a strong fourth quarter, they were simply outmatched. The Gophers maintained a lead the entire game, ending 75-63.

Freshman Tori McKinney was effective on both ends of the court, scoring 26 points with Plitzuweit acknowledging that she set the defensive pace.

“She really defended at a high level, she attacked when we needed someone to attack until we started falling in the third quarter,” Plitzuweit said. “We got a little undisciplined in that way and we need her out there.”

McKinney played all but 30 seconds in the first half but had more time on the bench in the second half.

McKinney earned the WBIT Tournament MVP, shooting 71% from the field and 57% from the 3-point line.

After last season, University of Illinois women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green said after winning the WBIT, their aspirations were still for March Madness. This year, they competed in the tournament as the sixth seed.

Plitzuweit wants to recreate Illinois’ success and said the Gophers are not satisfied with a WBIT win.

“The goal is to be in the big dance,” Plitzuweit said.

Junior Mallory Heyer, who grabbed 16 rebounds in the finale, repeated the sentiment.

“We’re going to carry this and keep moving forward,” Heyer said.

Senior Sophie Hart already declared she will be returning next year. Braun said she plans to return and the Gophers starting five remains together for one more year.

The Gophers have not seen any players enter the transfer portal, unlike some other Big Ten teams.

“Really proud of our young ladies for the resilience that they’ve showed all year in dealing with the adversity that we’ve gone through,” Plitzuweit said.