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Gophers women move up to No. 19 spot in AP Top 25

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Published  March 2, 2026 1:34pm CST
Minnesota Golden Gophers
FOX 9

The Brief

    • The Gophers' women's basketball team moved up to the No. 19 spot in the AP Top-25, their highest ranking in seven years.
    • Minnesota ended the season with a 78-73 win at Illinois to finish 22-7, and 13-5 in Big Ten play.
    • The Gophers are the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, and could potentially host a regional for the NCAA Tournament.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team is in the top-25 for the third straight week, and the Gophers have their highest ranking in seven years.

Gophers ranked No. 19 in AP Top 25

What we know:

The Gophers (22-7, 13-5) moved up to No. 19 in the Associated Press Top-25 rankings, their highest spot since they were No. 18 on Jan. 7, 2019. Minnesota moved up four spots after being ranked No. 23 last week.

The Gophers ended the regular season Sunday with a 78-73 win at Illinois. They enter the Big Ten Tournament having won 10 of their last 11 games.

Gophers get No. 4 seed for Big Ten Tournament

Why you should care:

Minnesota’s 13-5 record in Big Ten play was good enough to earn the No. 4 seed for the conference tournament, which is this week in Indianapolis. The Gophers have a double bye, and if the seeds hold, they would face No. 5-seeded Ohio State in the quarterfinals on Friday.

What's next:

The Gophers are a lock for the NCAA Tournament, which would be their first appearance since 2018. They have a chance to earn a top-16 seed for the Big Dance, which would qualify them to host a first and second round regional at Williams Arena.

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