03/22/26 06:43:00
Printable Page
03/22 18:41 CDT Battle's winner for Minnesota gives women's March Madness a
shining moment in closest game yet
Battle's winner for Minnesota gives women's March Madness a shining moment in
closest game yet
By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) --- Amaya Battle drove toward the lane before dribbling back
for more space along the baseline to launch the shot she --- and everyone else
who has ever picked up a basketball --- has long daydreamed about.
First came the swish, immediately followed by the joyful screams.
Then after watching Mississippi's attempt at a winner hit the front of the rim
and fall short, Minnesota unleashed a celebration of the program's first trip
to the Sweet 16 in 21 years with a 65-63 victory in the second round of the
women's NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
"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," said Battle, who had
14 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. "It was real life today."
The women's tournament has otherwise been lacking in upsets and buzzer-beaters,
particularly since Clemson's apparent 3-pointer at the end of regulation in the
first round on Saturday didn't count because of a clock operation error in an
eventual overtime loss to Southern California.
Battle, the sister of NBA player Jamison Battle, delivered that shining moment
for the highlight reels in her final game at Williams Arena. This was the first
game of the tournament decided by fewer than three points, with the homecourt
advantage that Minnesota made sure to secure well in advance --- on the hunch
this team could earn a top-16 seed --- coming through loud and clear.
"You can't make this stuff up," coach Dawn Plitzuweit said.
The No. 4 seed Gophers (24-8), who had a crowd of 10,763 on their side, were
more than happy to have their senior point guard on a team with plenty of
capable shooters take the crucial final shot.
"We practice it almost every day before every game, so it's nothing really new.
She hits those shots every day in practice over our scout guys," said Mara
Braun, who led the Gophers with 17 points. "Everyone I think knew that it was
in."
Battle landed on her back after the follow-through, sat straight up and hoisted
both arms straight up in the air to signal the make as her teammates swarmed
her in the corner in front of the bench.
"That's out of a Disney movie," Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said.
Not lost in the shuffle of the epic ending was the charge Battle drew on Cotie
McMahon with 4:22 left that fouled out the Mississippi star with 15 points on
5-for-6 shooting from the floor.
"That was our best defense, not having her on the court, very honestly,"
Plitzuweit said.
Said Battle: "She got a ton of buckets out of me, on us, and it was because she
was powering through. I was like, ?All right, I'm just going to try to fall and
see what happens,' and it worked out."
McMahon, who won the Southeastern Conference newcomer of the year award after
transferring from Ohio State and is widely expected to be a first-round draft
pick in the WNBA draft next month, picked up her second foul early in the first
quarter and was limited to 21 minutes in the game.
"I was dealt the cards that I was dealt. I just handled it and still tried to
make the right plays for my team," McMahon said.
McPhee-McCuin was a little less diplomatic, expressing her dismay with the
officiating on McMahon.
"I just haven't seen the best players get fouled out," McPhee-McCuin said.
"From my point of view, the last call was incorrect. We watched it 1,500 times.
One of the things I do understand is that officials are human and environments
create them to officiate in a particular type of way. I don't think that's why
we lost the game. I just know that Cotie is our leading scorer, newcomer of the
year, all of the things, and she plays 20 minutes, and it's disappointing.
These fans deserved more than that. The game deserves more than that."
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and
coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
|
