5 Key Takeaways as Red-Hot Gophers Complete Season Sweep Over Rival Wisconsin

It doesn't look like Minnesota plans on slowing down anytime soon.

Feb 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Grace Grocholski (25) shoots as Wisconsin Badgers guard Halle Douglass (10) defends during the first half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Gophers continued to play like one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten with a 83-60 win over rival Wisconsin on Sunday, and they've now won eight games in a row. Here's what we learned.

Uncharacteristically sloppy first quarter

The Gophers have routinely gotten out to fast starts during their win streak, but that was not the case on Sunday. They coughed up four turnovers in the first 10 minutes, which resulted in seven Wisconsin points. They shot just 5 of 15 from the field as a team, and the Badgers jumped out to an 18-12 lead.

Mara Braun continues to find her groove

After back-to-back season-ending injuries, it took a while for Braun to find her confidence this season. She averaged 14.4 points over her last five games before Sunday, which is a sizable bump from her 11.4 points per game season average. She continued to play at a high-level against the Badgers with 20 points on 7 of 12 shooting from the field.

Mara Braun’s last six games

15.3 PPG
3.1 RPG
2.6 APG

Gophers are a DANGEROUS team in postseason play when she’s playing at this level.

pic.twitter.com/J3iPu3tMcI

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) February 16, 2026

Every great college basketball team needs a closer when single-elimination play begins in March. When Braun is at her best, she's among the best shot creators in the country. Minnesota has a significantly higher ceiling in the postseason if it continues to play at this level.

Overcoming adversity

The Gophers' first Big Ten loss of the season at home against Maryland in double-overtime is still hard to process two months later. But they've rattled off 13 wins in their last 16 games since that moment. They haven't been the most dominant team in the country, but the adversity they've overcome during that stretch is what might be most encouraging. Between a tough first quarter on Sunday, a rough third quarter on Thursday against Nebraska, or whatever else has been thrown at them, this team has responded.

What's next?

Minnesota is now at 20-6 and 11-4 in Big Ten play. With eight consecutive wins, the NCAA Tournament might be a forgone conclusion at this point. The Gophers still have a golden opportunity to build their resume for seeding purposes. A double bye in the Big Ten tournament as a top-four seed is also still on the table. They will finish the regular season with three straight Quad 1 games against Ohio State and Michigan at home, and then Illinois on the road in the regular season finale.

Sophie Hart's value

Hart's production has been pretty similar this season compared to her last two years at Minnesota, with 10.3 points per game entering Sunday's game. She has bumped her shooting percentage to 54.4% and her rebounds to a career-high 5.9 per game. She might quietly be the most improved player on Minnesota's roster, and her ability to perform her role at a high level is a big reason for the success. Her 13 points and six rebounds on Sunday were exactly what the Gophers needed in the frontcourt.