The women’s basketball team exited the tunnel on Wednesday to the beat of Sexy Redd’s “Bow Bow Bow,” donning their maroon and gold warmups. Trailing behind them was Mara Braun. 

The junior guard’s attire did not match the teams’. She wore a gray Minnesota Gophers sweatsuit with a medical boot on the same foot she broke in Illinois last season.

Plitzuweit announced Friday that Braun broke her foot when she stepped wrong and tweaked something in her right foot during a morning shootaround on Wednesday. 

Plitzuweit added no further details regarding the date of Braun’s return are available at this time. 

“I just feel for that kid, it’s really, really tough because she just did everything right,” Plitzuweit said. “She’ll do that again and get herself back as quickly as she can.”

Braun’s absence from the court did not stop the undefeated Gophers from continuing their early season dominance as Minnesota defeated Eastern Illinois University on Wednesday 81-52.

Freshman guard Tori McKinney started for the Gophers for the first time on Wednesday in place of Braun. McKinney averaged 15.6 minutes in the first five games of the season but led the team with 30 minutes against the Panthers on Wednesday.

McKinney drew seven fouls and added 14 points while the Panthers played an aggressive game, committing 21 fouls and surrendering 18 turnovers, opening the door for the Gophers to score.

Graduate student Annika Stewart was not surprised by McKinney’s ability to step up and deliver a strong performance.

“I told her, ‘It doesn’t matter if you’re starting or coming off the bench, just go be yourself,’” Stewart said. “She did that.”

Plitzuweit emphasized McKinney’s versatility and quickness. Late in the game, McKinney sliced through the paint and navigated past the Panthers’ defense for a layup in the third quarter.

“She shoots it, she passes it well, she gets to the rim,” Plitzuweit said. “She’s someone who can tip shots, tip passes, take charges.”

Without Braun, Plitzuweit looked to other players to step up. Sophomore Grace Grocholski led the team with 16 points, marking her highest-scoring game of the season. Grocholski received passes along the 3-point arc several times, setting herself up to go four for seven in 3-pointers. 

“Grace G did a really good job of trying to be a voice during the course of the game,” Plitzuweit said. “We didn’t really see it last year with G because she was a freshman.” 

Grocholski, who was part of the Gophers’ roster last year during Braun’s absence, emphasized the importance of sticking to their game and moving forward.

“Continuing to play unselfishly, which is what we did tonight, and just letting the game come to us,” Grocholski said. “Just continuing to be aggressive and know what we can do within our system.”

While the date of Braun’s return remains uncertain, the team persists, hoping to maintain their undefeated record on Sunday when they play the University of Montana.

Head coach for Gophers women’s basketball Dawn Plitzuweit announced Friday that leading scorer Mara Braun broke her right foot.

Braun missed the team’s last game on Wednesday against Eastern Illinois University. She was on the bench wearing a medical boot. At the time, her condition was unknown and there was no outlook on when she would return.

Plitzuweit confirmed Braun’s injury Friday but still gave no timeline for her return. She added the chances of her breaking the same bone as last year were slim.

“Right now she is in the process of meeting with the top foot specialists and assessing what the best plan of action is moving forward,” Plitzuweit said.

The Gophers are 21-5 with Braun in the starting lineup and 4-10 without her since the start of the 2023-2024 season.

During Braun’s absence, different players will look to step up as scorers. Amaya Battle’s game grew last season as she developed her 3-point shot and had a career-scoring game (32 points) against Rutgers in round one of the Big Ten tournament.

“We learned a lot from last year so we know what to expect,” Battle said. “Anytime you have to step into a new opportunity that is different from what you have done, that gives you an opportunity to grow.”  

Nebraska transfer Annika Stewart also contributed to the team’s scoring early on this season as she posted 80 points through six games and led the team in scoring twice this season and tied Michigan transfer Taylor Woodson once.

Teammates Mallory Heyer and Battle said the team got Braun a gift basket. It included some of her favorite snacks and lip products as well as a teddy bear and a bottle of Tylenol.

The Gophers’ next match is Sunday against the Montana Grizzlies which boasts a 3-2 overall record.

Despite a sparse crowd and little maroon and gold in the stands, the Gophers women’s basketball team showcased their early-season dominance, extending their undefeated record.

The Gophers traveled to Tempe, Arizona on Nov. 16 and 17 for their first-ever appearance at the Briann January Classic where they faced Oregon State and Southern Methodist University (SMU).

The Gophers left the court Saturday with a 73-38 victory over Oregon State. The Gophers scored the final 17 points with freshman McKenna Johnson hitting a 3-pointer in the final minute.

Players showed their depth for the maroon and gold, scoring 32 points off the bench against the Beavers and 38 against SMU in Sunday’s matchup. 

Graduate student Annika Stewart led the Gophers in points both days of the tournament coming off the bench. After the weekend, Stewart holds the record for most points scored off the bench and is two points behind the team’s leading scorer Mara Braun this season. Sunday’s game marked her third leading the team in scoring off the bench.

Despite playing the most minutes, Braun beat Stewart once this season in scoring against Vermont. Braun recorded eight steals and tied junior Amaya Battle at 21 points. Battle did not record any points on Sunday but contributed five steals across the two tournament games. 

Braun and sophomore Grace Grocholski contributed 10 points each, only three behind Stewart in Saturday’s matchup. 

The Gophers faced SMU on Sunday, ending the game 65-59 but entering the fourth quarter at a two-point deficit, 44-42. Of their 23 points in the fourth quarter,14 were scored in the paint, six of which were scored by Taylor Woodson. 

Woodson matched Stewart’s point total in Sunday’s game against the Mustangs by scoring 18, but failed to replicate Stewart’s three steals.

Both Stewart and Woodson are transfers who came off the bench and were instrumental in driving the team’s offense this season, proving the talent the Gophers gained through their transfer additions. 

The Gophers return to Williams Arena Wednesday to face Eastern Illinois University in another non-conference matchup.

Gophers fans flooded into Huntington Bank Stadium, most donning maroon attire in preparation for Minnesota’s annual battle for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy Sept. 21. 

Saturday’s game was extra special because of the Gophers’ rivalry with the Iowa Hawkeyes, which dates back to 1891. The crowd was larger and rowdier than their first three games this season. 

Despite this being the Gophers’ fourth consecutive home game, University of Minnesota senior Andrew Trudeau said it was one of the most packed games he has seen. 

“There’s a two-block line just outside of the bar and the game hasn’t even started,” Trudeau said. “The atmosphere is crazy.” 

Trudeau echoed senior Margaret Poulos when she said the best part of game day is being with her friends outside the classroom.

“Everyone’s just in good vibes and hoping for the Gophers to win,” Poulos said. 

Away from all the madness amongst fans, the University’s spirit squad and marching band are working to elevate the level of school spirit closer to the stadium.

Tanner Rivard, a junior on the spirit squad, said regardless of the Gophers’ opponent, their job remains the same. 

“It’s so much fun being on the sidelines and being able to interact with everybody,” Rivard said. “We amplify the crowd the most usually on third downs.” 

Rivard said he grew up playing football in high school, so his experience with the spirit squad is unique and football remains his favorite part of the cheer season.

Before the game, the cheer team is joined by the band and dance team as they parade around the stadium, greet fans and create school spirit.

Fourth-year mellophone player for the University’s marching band Emma Hartman said game day is not the same without the band. 

“I think the players and fans can count on us to be there with the school spirit, even when things aren’t going so well,” Hartman said. “We always play the Alma Mater at the end of the game, win or lose, and P.J. Fleck expects the players to stay there for that which I think is really great.” 

Beyond the game itself, University students create memories from their game day rituals whether at pregames, tailgates or post-games. 

Hartman said her favorite game day experience was a halftime show from last year’s football season. 

“It was the 50th year of women being allowed in the band and we played Beyoncé and a whole bunch of other songs, it was just so special to be a part of,” Hartman said. 

Other students, like Poulos, loved the pregame practices of game days, like going to the fraternities, walking by the tailgates and any interactions she had with Goldy. 

“At the frats, you can really feel that game day energy,” Poulos said. “I’ve actually seen Goldy on the streets a few times on game day too. He’s always taking pictures and just interacting with the fans.” 

The next opportunity for Gophers fans to experience the maroon and gold sights of a Gophers game at Huntington is Oct. 5 against Southern California. It will be the first time the team plays one of the newly added Big Ten schools.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the beginning of the Gopher-Hawkeye rivalry as 1981. It was 1891.