When Mallory Heyer announced weeks before the season opener she would be leaving Minnesota’s program, some of the power forward’s responsibilities landed in the hands of Amaya Battle.
Battle, a senior wing who spent her first two seasons as the point guard, was going to have to rebound more. It wasn’t too much of an issue for the Hopkins product; she had always been a strong rebounder for a guard.
Indiana’s Nevaeh Caffey, left, can’t get to Minnesota’s Amaya Battle before she releases a jump shot in the Gophers’ 71-48 victory Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Bloomington, Ind. Battle scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. (Meghan Bielich / Gophers Athletics)
Thirteen games later, Battle leads the Gophers in rebounding (7.8 per game) and assists (3.9). She can score a little, too.
Battle led all scorers with 20 points and added eight boards on Monday as Minnesota routed Indiana, 71-48, in Bloomington, Ind. It was the Gophers’ first victory at Assembly Hall since 2019.
“It’s hard to do this against a team that’s really good at home, to do that on the road, in a really tough environment,” coach Dawn Plitzuweit said on the team’s postgame radio broadcast.
Battle was a major reason. She was only credited with one assist, but that’s not indicative of her effect on the offense with three offensive boards, and the transitions she started with rebounds on the other end.
“I’ve always liked rebounding, even when I was younger,” the Hopkins graduate said on KFAN’s postgame show. “It’s not just this year. I’ve always loved to go and rebound it, especially on defense; then I get out and push it. Or under the boards, and I can kick it out and find another shooter.
“I just like grabbing the ball out of the air.”
Tori McKinney scored 17 points, and Sophie Hart finished with a game-high 12 rebounds and nine points for the Gophers, who improved to 10-3 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten.
Minnesota scored the first 17 points of the third quarter as the Gophers turned a small halftime lead into a 23-point advantage. They trailed by seven in the first quarter, and held a 34-28 lead at halftime before they throttled the Hoosiers (11-3, 0-2) defensively in the second half.
Battle scored eight points — and two steals and a rebound — during the Gophers’ 17-0 third-quarter run. For the game, Minnesota scored 21 points off 21 Indiana turnovers. Battle finished with three steals, and McKinney and Mara Braun had two apiece.
Battle’s 20 points were a season high for the four-year starter.
“She leads us in assists and in rebounding; that’s hard to do,” Plitzuweit said. “To have eight rebounds, and do so much for us defensively in terms of matchups and switches and guarding the point guard. We rely a great, great deal on her. I thought she performed at a really high level.”
The Gophers’ next game is Jan. 5 at No. 6 Michigan (10-1).
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