Mara Braun leads Gophers to 75-45 win over Western Illinois in opener
Mara Braun had 21 points in her Minnesota debut as the Gophers' women's basketball team opened the 2022-23 season with a 75-45 win over Western Illinois Monday night at Williams Arena. (University of Minnesota Athletics)
MINNEAPOLIS - Led by three local standouts in the starting lineup, the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team opened the 2022-23 season with a 75-45 win over Western Illinois Monday night at Williams Arena.
The night featured the Minnesota debuts for Wayzata’s Mara Braun, Hopkins’ Amaya Battle and Chaska’s Mallory Heyer. Roseau’s Katie Borowicz also returned after missing all of last season with an injury.
The Gophers led 38-15 at the half and never looked back in a 30-point victory. Braun, Lindsay Whalen’s top recruit in a talented freshman class, led all scorers with 21 points, shooting 9-of-19 from the field and grabbing seven rebounds in 30 minutes. Borowicz added 16 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from the perimeter.
Heyer had eight points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes, and Battle had six points, eight rebounds, nine assists and two blocks in 23 minutes off the bench.
After playing UW-River Falls in an exhibition, Monday night was the first game for 10 Minnesota players on the roster that counted towards the season standings.
"It was exciting. The exhibition game was fun, too. But this game, knowing it goes towards the record, it's for real this time? Super exciting," Braun said. "A little nervous at first. But once we got things rolling it was kind of smooth sailing from there."
Alanna Rose Micheaux had a historic night for the Gophers in the win, with a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes. She became the second player in the last seven seasons to record a double-double in the season opener.
"I've been talking about people not knowing what's cooking in the kitchen. Obviously we came out with a full-course meal," Micheaux said.