BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – This story is part of a series that will continue through October. Is Indiana better than each of its Big Ten opponents?
Nine categories were chosen. There will be no ties in individual categories. Think of it like you would the Supreme Court.
The categories: Point guard play, free throw shooting, inside scoring, perimeter shooting, rebounding, perimeter defense, rim protection, how much proven Power Five talent is on the roster, and intangibles.
The daily series will cover both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and it will alternate between the teams.
Today we examine the Minnesota women’s basketball team. The Golden Gophers have been quiet in recent years in women’s hoops, but that might change this season.
Minnesota (20-16 in 2024) had its first winning season since 2020. While Minnesota only won five Big Ten games, there’s the possibility for winning quite a few more in 2024.
That’s because the Golden Gophers bring back every player of consequence.
Five players who averaged 9.5 points or more are back for second-year coach Dawn Plitzuweit, who has won quickly at all four of her Division I coaching spots.
It’s a deep, balanced group that returns for Minnesota. If they play to their potential and stay healthy, Minnesota’s NCAA Tournament drought, which dates to 2018, could end.
Here’s how the battle between the Hoosiers and the Golden Gophers shakes out.
• Point guard play – The most experienced player on Minnesota’s roster is point guard Amaya Battle, a graduate student. Battle (12.1 ppg, 5.4 apg, 4.7 rpg) does a little bit of everything. She’s not an elite-level scorer or shooter, but she has plenty of teammates to feed.
Is she better than Chloe Moore-McNeil? That’s debatable. Moore-McNeil (10.2 ppg, 5 apg, 3.3 rpg) is ever-so-slightly behind in averages, but she is significantly ahead of Battle in shooting percentages (46.4% overall, 40.9% 3-point). Add in Moore-McNeil’s defensive prowess and the Hoosiers take this one – though the pair should be entertaining to watch when they go head-to-head. Edge: Indiana.
• Free throw shooting – This is an odd one. In every other one of the stories in this series, shooters over 70% were emphasized. Mara Braun (92.2%), Battle (79.4%), Grace Grocholski (78.9%) and Maggie Czinano (71.4%) all clear that bar for Minnesota. That’s one more plus-70% shooter than Indiana has.
However, Minnesota also has some very bad free throw shooters who play major minutes. Three Gophers expected to be in the rotation are sub-50% at the line. Indiana doesn’t have a similar weakness that opponents can exploit. Edge: Indiana.
• Inside scoring – Minnesota is strong in this department. Senior center Sophie Hart (10.6 ppg) converted 58.8% of her shots. Forward Mallory Heyer (9.5 ppg) doesn’t shoot it as well but is capable in the paint. Indiana has potential in Lilly Meister and Karoline Striplin, but not the same level of proven Big Ten production. Edge: Minnesota.
• Perimeter shooting – Indiana is strong in this department as Yarden Garzon (42.2%), Moore-McNeil (40.9%) and Parrish (40%) all top 40%. The Golden Gophers have a lot of guards who will shoot, but none are elite shooters. Braun (36.4%) has the best percentage among the Gophers. Edge: Indiana.
• Rebounding – Minnesota rebounds from multiple players and multiple positions. Heyer (8.6 rpg), Hart (5.1 rpg) and Grace Grocholski (4.6 rpg) all hit the glass from center or forward spots. Battle (4.7 rpg) and Braun (4.3 rpg) chip in from the perimeter. Indiana isn’t a bad rebounding team, but the Gophers take this one. Edge: Minnesota.
• Perimeter defense – Minnesota struggled in this department in 2024. The Golden Gophers finished last in Big Ten-only 3-point shooting defense as opponents shot 38% from beyond the arc. It’s a big reason why Minnesota gave up 73.4 points in conference play. Defense is part of Indiana’s identity, especially on the perimeter. Edge: Indiana.
• Defense at the rim – Not a strength for either team. Indiana’s posts have to prove themselves. Minnesota’s bigs have medicore defensive numbers. Due to Indiana’s overall defensive advantage, this one goes to the Hoosiers. Edge: Indiana.
• Proven Power 5 ability on roster – The standard here is whether a player averaged 25 minutes or more at the Power Five level at their current or former school.
Five Gophers – Battle, Braun, Grocholski, Hart and Heyer all exceed the standard. Only four Hoosiers – Parrish, Garzon, Moore-McNeil and Shay Ciezki (at Penn State) clear the same bar as the Gophers have the experience advantage. Edge: Minnesota.
• Intangibles – Minnesota should be pretty good in 2025, but taking the step to being a winner is the hardest one of all. Keeping the winning belief sustained is what often trips up teams that have potential to succeed. Indiana does not have the same problem. The Hoosiers have won at least 20 games every season since 2016. Even with Plitzuweit’s demonstrated success of building winners, Indiana knows it can win and that matters. Edge: Indiana.
• Verdict – A fascinating aspect of this series, as it goes along, is how the scores require context. Indiana takes this battle 6-3 over Minnesota, a point better than when Indiana edged Oregon and Rutgers earlier in this series.
I think Minnesota is better, or at least equal to, both of those teams. The categories didn’t flatter the Golden Gophers as much as they did for the Ducks and Scarlet Knights, so the margin was higher.
That’s the way it goes. I do think Minnesota is a legitimate NCAA Tournament contender. Indiana also has to play up at The Barn on Feb. 9. That should be a good game.
Previous Is Indiana Better Than Women’s Basketball Results
Oregon – Indiana 5-4.
Rutgers – Indiana 5-4.
Maryland – Maryland 7-2.
USC – USC 6-3.
Penn State – Indiana 8-1.
