Minnesota Gophers Defeat Green Bay Phoenix 75-58 with Fourth Quarter Flurry

The Minnesota Golden Gophers looked tight, a bit overwhelmed and out of sorts for the first three quarters of their NCAA Tournament First Round game against #13 seed Green Bay on Friday night. They were missing shots, looked lost on defense and did not loo like the team that earned themselves a #4 seed and the right to hst the first two rounds at Williams Arena. Then the fourth quarter rolled around.

Minnesota would outscore the Phoenix 30-9 in the final ten minutes of the game looking every bit the part of the team that deserved to be here and advanced to a date with #5 seed Ole Miss for a chance to go to the Sweet Sixteen on Sunday. The first quarter was not pretty basketball for either team. Minnesota was not dialed in on their outside shooting—or frankly their inside shooting and struggled to pick up offensive rebounds and second chance opportunities.

The Gophers were at atrocious 5-18 from the field in the opening quarter yet only trailed by a point at 11-10. Minnesota did do a very good job defending Minnesota native and Horizon League Player of the Year Jenna Guyer early shutting her down and causing her to pick up two quick fouls that would see her spend much of the second quarter on the bench. Minnesota showed signs of life in the second quarter going on an 8-0 run sparked by six quick points from Mara Braun and took their largest lead of the first half at 22-15.

Unfortunately after a Green Bay timeout the Phoenix would do the same going on a 10-0 run to retake a 25-22 lead and eliminate all the momentum the Gophers had been gaining. The teams would trade baskets the rest of the half and a Maddy Skorupski jumper at the buzzer would give the Phoenix a 29-26 halftime lead. Something would need to change for the Gophers to find a way to win this.