Gophers blast Eastern Illinois as Mara Braun wears walking boot

Tori McKinney entered the starting lineup and was second on the team in scoring.

Tori McKinney / Photo by Bjorn Franke, University of Minnesota

The Minnesota women's basketball team shot a blistering 12-of-22 from 3-point range in an 81-52 blowout win over Eastern Illinois Wednesday night at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

The performance showcased the Gophers' depth as they played without star guard Mara Braun, who was seen on the team bench in a walking boot. It's unclear if her injury is serious and if it will cause her to miss extended time like a foot injury did during the second half of last season.

Mara Braun in a boot. Not great pic.twitter.com/WwfKbAfNiQ

— Sean〽️ 🦆🦆🍺 (@smt79) November 21, 2024

Without Braun, Tori McKinney moved into the starting lineup and finished with 14 points in 30 minutes. She and Annika Stewart were tied for the second-most points on the night, trailing only Grace Grocholski, who finished with 16 points and knocked down 4-of-7 from 3.

Taylor Woodson scored nine points off the bench while Amaya Battle and Mallory Heyer each finished with eight points.

The victory moves the Gophers to 6-0 with their next game coming Sunday at home against Montana. Tip time is 2 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on BTN+.