In the final quarter, Minnesota shot 4-15 (26.7%) from the field as a team, while Michigan State shot 9-12 (75%). A 29-4 difference in points off the bench and a poor fourth quarter were ultimately the difference in a game that the Gophers were competitive in for 33 minutes.

With just under eight minutes to go in a defensive-minded game at Michigan State on Saturday afternoon, Grace Grochoski drove for a score, putting the Gophers women’s basketball team up four points, and she was fouled.

A solid regular season from Minnesota women’s basketball came to a close on Saturday with a 73-58 loss to No. 23 Michigan State at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. Now, the Gophers have a conference tournament to prove to NCAA tournament selectors that they are worthy of the program’s first invitation to the Big Dance since 2018.