The Minnesota Gophers women’s basketball team has a simple reason for believing that they can handle whatever March will bring. That belief did not magically appear on Selection Sunday or when they first heard they would have the comfort of hosting some of the NCAA tournament opening rounds.

It is because they all like each other. 

It is not just in the polite locker room way that most teammates do, and it is not a surface-level, for-show statement. Minnesota’s players talked about it openly all year. They celebrate each other’s accomplishments, show up for each other on hard days and their locker room never seems to splinter even through a demanding Big Ten schedule. 

When asked what makes the Gophers dangerous during this time of year, senior guard Amaya Battle did not hesitate. 

“The power of friendship,” Battle said. “We all genuinely like each other.”

It is a simple answer for a complicated time of year. There are short turnarounds, single elimination game stakes and one moment can swing a season in seconds. But for Minnesota, they believe the bond they have built can hold when everything else speeds up. 

That is because they already have proof. The Big Ten schedule demanded resilience and trust, testing them throughout the season. They faced stretches of play where things did not come easily — but instead of falling apart, they leaned on each other. 

“The way we care for each other and like each other is just the biggest thing,” junior Grace Grocholski said. “The way we practice, we go at each other every day. We’re doing things to prepare us for these moments.”

Minnesota will host the opening two rounds, starting Friday against Green Bay. If they win, they will face Ole Miss or Gonzaga University on Sunday. If they lose, the season ends. There will be no second chances. 

Every possession matters more and mistakes will linger. Yet, the Gophers do not feel like this pressure is anything new. They have already survived a season in one of the most difficult conferences.

“I’m just so proud of us,” Grocholski said. “Going into every Big Ten game, that’s a tough schedule for every single team. I think that really prepares us for these one-and-done games.”

There is some familiarity in this matchup, too. Head coach Dawn Plitzuweit was an associate head coach for the program from 1998-2002. Several of her players have crossed paths with players at Green Bay before, whether through AAU circuits or regional competition. 

Redshirt junior guard Mara Braun has a personal connection. She played AAU basketball with Green Bay’s redshirt senior, Jenna Guyer.

“They have a ton of other Minnesota and Wisconsin girls that we’re familiar with, so it’ll be fun to be able to see them again and play against them,” Braun said. 

The fun of seeing an old teammate will only last a moment. The urgency to win will outweigh the familiarity. 

The intensity of the tournament has not changed the message in Minnesota’s locker room. With everything on the line, they know they have to stay present and lean on each other. It is what they have been building towards their entire careers. 

“Everything you’ve worked for is coming to real life,” Braun said. “So just going out and competing, just doing the best we can. We have the opportunity to turn some heads.”

There is a different awareness for seniors like Battle, who are focused on the opportunity ahead but also on the time running out. For them, March brings finality and possibility. 

Every game could be the last one. It will be the last time they warm up, and the last time they will hear their name as part of the starting lineup. Nothing can soften that reality.

“I don’t want to stop playing this weekend,” Battle said. “I understand after that last game I’ll never get to put on the Gopher jersey again, so I want to just keep pushing it as long as I can.”

That desire to keep the season going is shared. It all ties back to their bond with each other and the fact that their season has been about more than wins and losses. As the stage shifts to the national tournament, that foundation will be important.

March Madness is a spectacle that highlights buzzer-beater moments and Cinderella runs. It is what the tournament is known for. Yet, inside Minnesota’s locker room, their belief is rooted in their connection. Or as they have come to call it, the power of friendship.