The Gophers punched a ticket to their Thanksgiving tournament title game with a win Monday, and with it, earned a matchup with a tournament team from a year ago.
Minnesota downed South Florida 57-45 in the opening game of the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship in Nassau, Bahamas.
Gophers guard Amaya Battle dribbles the ball during Minnesota’s 57-45 win over South Florida in the first round of the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 in Nassau, Bahamas (Meghan Bielich / Gophers Athletics)
The Gophers will meet Alabama in the Junkanoo Division title bout Wednesday. The Crimson Tide (6-0), who beat Harvard, 80-60, in the other matchup, were a No. 5 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament who reached the second round before falling to Maryland in double overtime.
That could very well serve as Minnesota’s best nonconference game on its slate this season, and is another chance for the Gophers to earn a quality win away from the confines of Williams Arena after Minnesota fell in Kansas last week.
Minnesota controlled the game from the outset against South Florida, utilizing a 12-0 run to take an early 18-4 lead. The Gophers led by 15 at the half and as many as 19 in the third frame.
Minnesota held South Florida to 33% shooting from the floor, including just 2 for 18 from distance. Fatou Diakite tallied 16 points to pace the Bulls (3-3), while the rest of South Florida’s starters went a combined 6 for 30 from the field.
The Gophers weren’t much better offensively, shooting 34% from the field. But Minnesota did hit seven triples and turned the ball over 17 times to South Florida’s 20.
Grace Grocholski paced Minnesota with 14 points. She was one of three Gophers in double figures, along with Mara Braun — who had 11 points to go with two blocked shots — and Brylee Glenn, who had 10 points to go with four dimes.
Amaya Battle had nine points, five boards and two steals, while Sophie Hart grabbed 10 boards.
The Gophers (5-1) did also shoot 34% from the field and scored exactly 57 points against Kansas. Better offensive production will surely be needed Wednesday versus what Minnesota has delivered of late if the U is to contend with an opponent of Alabama’s ilk.
Minnesota is certainly capable of it, having scored 88-plus points in each of its first four games of the season.
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