Gophers cruise past cold-shooting Michigan State

Minnesota held the Spartans to 33% shooting on Saturday.

Four players finished in double figures and the Gophers women’s basketball team stifled Michigan State in a 69-50 victory Saturday afternoon at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

The Gophers (14-4, 4-3 Big Ten) held the Spartans (13-5, 3-4) to just 33% shooting from the field and 18% from 3-point range. Only DeeDee Hagemann, who had 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, was able to get anything going offensively for Michigan State.

Meanwhile, Mallory Heyer tallied 18 points — and also grabbed 18 rebounds — Sophie Hart recorded 12, Grace Grocholski scored 11 and Mara Braun added 10 for Minnesota, which shot 41% from the field a 46% from 3.

It was essentially a wire-to-wire win for the Gophers, whose largest deficit was 7-4 early in the first quarter. They led 20-18 by the end of the frame and just continued to build on their lead throughout the contest. 

Heyer scored six points in the second quarter and six more in the third as the U built an 18-point lead by the end of the third quarter. 

The Spartans were unable to dig into their deficit.

The Gophers return to action on Wednesday when they visit arch-rival Wisconsin for an 8 p.m. tipoff in Madison, Wis.