Amaya Battle hits late winner to send Minnesota to first Sweet 16 in 21 years
Amaya Battle scored a dramatic jump shot with 0.7 seconds remaining to give Minnesota a 65-63 victory over Ole Miss and secure their first women’s NCAA tournament Sweet 16 appearance in 21 years.
The senior point guard drove along the baseline before stepping back to sink the decisive basket in front of a raucous home crowd at Williams Arena.
A desperate final attempt from the visitors fell short, sparking wild celebrations among the 10,763 fans in attendance.
“I think any basketball player, when you shoot on your own, you’re like, ‘OK, three, two, one,’ throw it up there and see what happens. It was real life today.”
Amaya Battle
A fairytale finish for the Gophers
The 22-year-old finished an outstanding individual performance with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.
Her pivotal contribution was not limited to the offensive end of the court.
With just over four minutes remaining, she drew a crucial charging foul on Cotie McMahon, eliminating the opposition’s star player from the contest.
“That was our best defense, not having her on the court, very honestly. You can’t make this stuff up.”
Dawn Plitzuweit, Minnesota head coach
Overcoming formidable opposition
Prior to fouling out, McMahon had been dominating the game with 15 points on highly efficient shooting.
The SEC Newcomer of the Year is widely projected to be a first-round selection in next month’s WNBA draft.
However, the top-16 seeded hosts possessed multiple attacking threats of their own to counter the talented forward.
Mara Braun led the scoring for the victorious side, contributing 17 points to ensure her team stayed within striking distance.
“She hits those shots every day in practice over our scout guys. Everyone I think knew that it was in.”
Mara Braun
Heartbreak for the Rebels
The defeat brings a bitter end to the season for the Mississippi-based squad.
Their head coach could only marvel at the dramatic conclusion to the fiercely contested match.
“That’s out of a Disney movie.”
Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Ole Miss head coach