Gophers Reach Sweet 16 for First Time in 21 Years

Minnesota's women's basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 21 years, securing back-to-back victories at home in Minneapolis over the weekend. The fourth-seeded Gophers rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat 13th-seeded Green Bay 75-58 in the first round on Friday, then edged fifth-seeded Mississippi 65-63 on a game-winning jumper with 0.7 seconds left in the second round on Sunday.

In the opener at Williams Arena, Minnesota overcame a seven-point halftime deficit against the experienced Phoenix, who featured four senior starters and a disciplined mid-major attack. Green Bay, making its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 33 years, led 29-26 at the break behind 19 points from Maddy Skorupski, who played all 40 minutes and added six rebounds. The Gophers, returning to the tournament for the first time since 2018, shot poorly from beyond the arc in the first half, missing eight of nine attempts.

The tide turned in the second half as Minnesota's defense tightened, forcing five turnovers and holding Green Bay to 4-for-15 shooting in the fourth quarter. The Gophers exploded for 30 points in the final period, shooting 12 for 16...