Minneapolis witnessed an intense showdown on Wednesday night as No. 24 Michigan secured a narrow 70-65 victory over No. 23 Minnesota. Freshman Syla Swords led the way for the Wolverines, scoring a total of 23 points, with eight of those points coming in a crucial fourth-quarter push.

Joining her in the spotlight was Olivia Olson, another freshman hailing from New Hope, Minnesota, who contributed 19 points. Olson’s defense helped the Wolverines take the lead early in the fourth quarter with a jumper that put them ahead 55-53. Following that, Swords added a crucial 3-pointer, while the Michigan defense effectively limited the Golden Gophers to a shooting performance of only 4-of-15 in the final period.

Also making a significant impact for the Wolverines was Mila Holloway, who added 12 points to the team’s tally. This victory marked Michigan’s fourth consecutive win and their first success in six attempts against ranked teams, giving them the upper hand in the historical matchup, now trailing Minnesota 36-34 after 70 games.

For the Golden Gophers, junior Amaya Battle put forth a formidable effort, scoring 25 points; she had maintained their perfect home record at 11-0 prior to this encounter. This game featured the first top-25 matchup at Minnesota in the past five years, showcasing strong performances from Annika Stewart and Grace Grocholski as well, with Stewart netting 16 points and Grocholski adding 12 points off the bench.

In a remarkable second quarter, Stewart was instrumental in Minnesota’s offense, shooting 4-of-4 and scoring 13 points, while Battle added 12 on 5-of-6 shooting as the Golden Gophers surged to finish the quarter with a 9-point run, leading 37-33 at halftime. The Wolverines struggled significantly in that quarter, finishing with only 2 of 16 shooting.

As the third quarter unfolded, Michigan made a comeback courtesy of Holloway’s consecutive 3-point shots, complemented by a jumper from Olson and another 3-pointer from Swords, which shifted the momentum to a 46-39 lead for Michigan. Battle then rallied for Minnesota, scoring 10 points uninterrupted, along with a 3-pointer from Grocholski, allowing them to claim a 54-50 lead. Nonetheless, the Wolverines managed to tally the last three points of the third period, setting the stage for a tight finish in the final quarter.

Looking ahead, No. 24 Michigan State is set to face Michigan on Saturday, while Wisconsin prepares to visit Minnesota on Sunday, promising more exciting matchups in the coming days.