BleedGopher
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Per RandBall:
The women will face Washington in the No. 13 vs. No. 12 game of the Big Ten tournament. Those seeds belie the strength of the teams in a brutally competitive conference, which could send 13 teams to the NCAA tournament.
Or it could send 12. It is certainly possible that the loser of the game between two NCAA bubble teams will be left out, giving Wednesday’s meeting massive significance.
What’s at stake for the Gophers women’s basketball program is more defined than that, of course.
In her second year as head coach, Dawn Plitzuweit has led the Gophers to a 20-10 record, including 8-10 in conference play.
Minnesota has defeated every team it should beat (18-0 against Quad 3 or Quad 4 teams, as defined by the NCAA Net Rankings) but struggled in opportunities for defining wins against equal or better opponents (2-10 against Quad 1 or Quad 2 teams).
That body of work has them No. 36 in the Net Rankings, and even a loss to Washington on Wednesday wouldn’t affect that standing very much.
But as Plitzuweit acknowledged this week, even while making the case that the Gophers deserve an NCAA bid, they would do well to make the committee’s decision easier.
“Our young ladies have competed and knocked off some decent teams and competed with the best teams,” she said. “Now, would it help us to get to work in the Big Ten tournament? Absolutely.”
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
The women will face Washington in the No. 13 vs. No. 12 game of the Big Ten tournament. Those seeds belie the strength of the teams in a brutally competitive conference, which could send 13 teams to the NCAA tournament.
Or it could send 12. It is certainly possible that the loser of the game between two NCAA bubble teams will be left out, giving Wednesday’s meeting massive significance.
What’s at stake for the Gophers women’s basketball program is more defined than that, of course.
In her second year as head coach, Dawn Plitzuweit has led the Gophers to a 20-10 record, including 8-10 in conference play.
Minnesota has defeated every team it should beat (18-0 against Quad 3 or Quad 4 teams, as defined by the NCAA Net Rankings) but struggled in opportunities for defining wins against equal or better opponents (2-10 against Quad 1 or Quad 2 teams).
That body of work has them No. 36 in the Net Rankings, and even a loss to Washington on Wednesday wouldn’t affect that standing very much.
But as Plitzuweit acknowledged this week, even while making the case that the Gophers deserve an NCAA bid, they would do well to make the committee’s decision easier.
“Our young ladies have competed and knocked off some decent teams and competed with the best teams,” she said. “Now, would it help us to get to work in the Big Ten tournament? Absolutely.”
RandBall: Wednesday is a big moment for two Gophers basketball programs
The Gophers women’s basketball team has a chance to strengthen its case for the program’s first NCAA tourney berth since 2018. The men’s program is going for a signature win over a rival that could impact its future.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!