The Barn is humming again. If you've walked past Williams Arena lately, you can feel that specific kind of energy that only bubbles up when a team is actually, finally, figuring it out. We aren't just talking about a lucky streak. Coach Dawn Plitzuweit has this squad sitting at 12-5 overall, and honestly, the gophers women's basketball schedule is about to hit a stretch that will determine if they’re just "good for now" or "Big Ten contender" good.
Coming off a tough 76-58 loss to No. 3 UCLA on January 14, the vibe isn't defeatist. It’s hungry. They just knocked off No. 21 USC a few days before that. One point. 63-62. That’s the kind of game that changes a locker room's DNA.
The Road Ahead: Breaking Down the Gophers Women's Basketball Schedule
The next few weeks are basically a gauntlet. If you’re looking to catch a game, you’ve got to keep track of the West Coast swing. It’s the new reality of the Big Ten.
On Sunday, January 18, the team is out in Seattle to face Washington at 5:00 PM. No rest for the weary, either. By Wednesday, January 21, they’ll be at Matthew Knight Arena to take on Oregon. That’s a lot of flight miles for a group that’s trying to stay consistent in the win column.
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Coming back home is the big one. Circle January 25 on your calendar. Wisconsin is coming to Minneapolis for a 2:00 PM tip-off. There is nothing quite like a border battle at The Barn to see what a team is made of. After that, they head back east to Penn State on January 28.
February doesn't get any easier. You've got Purdue at home on February 1, then a massive road test at Iowa on February 5. Even without Caitlin Clark, Carver-Hawkeye Arena is a nightmare for visitors.
Who Is Carrying the Load?
You can't talk about the schedule without talking about who is actually playing. Grace Grocholski has been a revelation. She’s leading the way with about 13.6 points per game and just looks like a pro out there. Then you have the veterans. Mara Braun is back and healthy, dropping nearly 11 points a night and providing that steady hand when things get chaotic.
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Tori McKinney has been the spark plug lately, averaging 12.6 points and playing some of the grittiest defense we've seen in years. And let's not overlook Sophie Hart in the middle. At 6-5, she’s the anchor. When she’s grabbing those 6+ rebounds and altering shots, the Gophers look like a completely different team.
Amaya Battle is still doing Amaya Battle things—7.4 rebounds from the guard position? That's just wild. She’s the engine that makes the whole transition game go.
Defending the Barn
One thing most people get wrong about this team is thinking they’re just a bunch of shooters. Check the stats. This is the 7th-ranked scoring defense in the entire country right now. They are holding opponents to just 53.2 points per game. That is how you win in the Big Ten.
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It’s not always pretty. Sometimes it’s a grind. But if you can keep teams like USC and Michigan in the 60s, you give yourself a chance every single night.
Actionable Next Steps for Gophers Fans
If you're planning on following the gophers women's basketball schedule through the end of the regular season, here is how to stay locked in:
- Watch the Broadcasts: Most of the upcoming games are on BTN or B1G+. The Washington and Oregon games are late starts (Central Time), so brew some coffee.
- Ticket Strategy: For the Wisconsin game on January 25, buy tickets now. Rivalry games at Williams Arena have been trending toward sellouts, and the atmosphere is significantly better when the lower bowl is packed.
- Listen Live: If you're driving, 96.7 KFAN+ is the home for the radio broadcast. The play-by-play team does a great job of explaining the tactical shifts Dawn Plitzuweit makes mid-game.
- Keep an Eye on the NET: As of mid-January, the Gophers are hovering around the top 15-20 in several advanced metrics (SRS and NET). Every road win in this upcoming stretch is a massive "Quad 1" opportunity for their NCAA Tournament resume.
The schedule is grueling, but that’s the Big Ten in 2026. This team has the depth and the defensive discipline to make a real run at a top-half finish in the conference. Now they just have to go out and prove it on the floor.