5 Takeaways from Minnesota’s Breakthrough NCAA Tournament Win Over Ole Miss

Gophers women's basketball took down No. 5 seed Ole Miss 65-63 at the buzzer on Sunday afternoon, and they're heading to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 2004-05 season. Here are five key takeaways from their second-round win over the Rebels.

Amaya Battle's moment

Players like Battle are increasingly rare in modern college sports. She opted to stay home and play for the Gophers after a standout career at Hopkins High School, and she stuck with the program for four years, despite a coaching change and likely transfer portal interest. She got her moment on Sunday afternoon with a game-winning shot that will be remembered in Gophers history for a very long time.

AMAYA BATTLE.

THE GOPHERS ARE GOING TO THE SWEET 16. pic.twitter.com/kZ9o7sm2fm
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) March 22, 2026

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Mara Braun's three-point shooting

Braun suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries, and this season was her first fully healthy since her freshman year in 2022-23. There have been some ups and downs all season, but she showed on Sunday why she's still one of the most dynamic scorers in the country at her best. A trio of threes in the first half came when Minnesota needed it most, and she finished with a team-high 17 points. If it wasn't for Battle's game-winner, her game-tying three in the fourth quarter would've been the shot to remember.

Tori McKinney's two-way energy

It's hard to find many two-way players in college basketball who are more versatile than McKinney. That was on full display against Ole Miss. Her energy on both ends of the floor set the tone for Minnesota. She finished with just nine points, but her impact went well beyond the box score.

Home court atmosphere

It took the Gophers three quarters to settle into Friday's first-round win over Green Bay. They faced serious adversity, and they leaned on a tremendous home crowd at Williams Arena to find their groove. With a 22-8 record, they certainly earned home-court advantage, and it's a big reason why they're dancing into the Sweet 16. The atmosphere at the Barn on Sunday afternoon against Ole Miss was one of the best in quite some time.

Lack of athleticism

Minnesota let Ole Miss control the game for much of the second half, and the biggest reason why was a difference in athleticism. The Gophers got the job done, and they're heading onto the next round, but teams will only be bigger and stronger from this point on. If they want to become a title contender, it might be their biggest area to improve.