Gophers' Mara Braun sidelined indefinitely with broken foot again

Minnesota coach Dawn Plitzuweit said Braun rebroke the same bone in her right foot.

Minnesota guard Mara Braun works around Michigan State guard Tory Ozment (1) during the first half at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on Jan. 20, 2024. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Gophers women’s basketball standout Mara Braun rebroke a bone in her right foot — the same injury that sidelined her last season — and will miss an indeterminate amount of time, Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit told reporters on Friday. 

Braun, currently a junior, saw her stellar sophomore season come to an end in January due to the foot injury, which required surgery. For the latest injury, Plitzuweit said Braun is meeting with specialists to determine a plan of action.

"Obviously, really the most important thing is her long-term health and then getting her back to playing at the highest level that she was playing at," Plitzuweit said. "She's a fantastic player. ... Don't really have any more in timing and when she will be back, whether that's this year or beyond, but she has a long basketball career ahead of her."

Last season, Braun averaged a team-best 17.0 points per game before going down with the injury. She was leading the Gophers in scoring this season, too, averaging 13.6 points per game. She also averages 4.0 assists per game.

The news of Braun's injury is certainly a blow to a Gophers team that's off to a tremendous start to the season. Minnesota is a perfect 6-0 and has been rolling, crushing opponents by an average of 31.8 points per game. The Gophers were recently projected to be firmly in the NCAA Tournament field as a No. 11 seed for the much-hyped national tournament.

While it's certainly disappointing news for Braun and the Gophers, Plitzuweit praised Braun's attitude throughout this process. She said Braun's demeanor has been fantastic, exemplified in her presence on the sidelines in Wednesday's win.

"Just how she carries herself is incredible," Plitzuweit said.

Mara Braun re-broke the same bone in her right foot, according to head coach Dawn Plitzuweit.

No timeline for her return.#Gophers pic.twitter.com/LynwcBRiNP

— Andrew Cornelius (@AndrewCorn03) November 22, 2024