Minnesota Hosts Green Bay in First Round of NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament

Minneapolis, MN – The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team (22-8, 13-5 Big Ten) will host the Green Bay Phoenix (25-8, 17-3 Horizon League) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night at Williams Arena. This marks the Golden Gophers’ first appearance in the tournament since 2018 and their first time hosting a game since 2005.

Game Details

Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM CT
Location: Williams Arena, Minneapolis, MN
TV: ESPNU (Krista Blunk on play-by-play and Andrea Lloyd as the analyst)
Radio: KFAN+ (Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist)

Matchup Overview

Minnesota earned a No. 4 seed in the tournament, while Green Bay is a No. 13 seed. The winners of Friday’s games will compete on Sunday, with the game time yet to be determined. Ole Miss (23-11) and Gonzaga (24-9) will play the first game of the day at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

Team Leaders and Key Players

Minnesota: Five starters for the Golden Gophers average double figures in scoring, led by Tori McKinney at 13.1 points per game. Key players include Amaya Battle, Mara Braun, Grace Grocholski, Sophie Hart, and Finau Tonga. Minnesota Roster

Green Bay: The Phoenix are led by Horizon League Player of the Year Jenna Guyer, who averages 15.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. She has scored in double figures in 21 of Green Bay’s last 22 games and was the MVP of the Horizon League Tournament. Four UWGB players are from Minnesota.

Coaching Connection

Minnesota coach Dawn Plitzuweit is a West Bend, Wisconsin native and has ties to Green Bay’s program. She played for former UWGB coach Kevin Borseth at Michigan Tech and later served as his assistant at both Michigan Tech and Green Bay. Green Bay head coach Kayla Karius was on Plitzuweit’s staff at South Dakota from 2016 to 2018.

Betting Odds (as of March 20, 2026)

According to BetMGM:
Spread: Minnesota by 22.5 points
Over/Under: 123.5

Recent Results

Green Bay (Last 5 Games)

• March 10: UW-Green Bay 57, Youngstown State 49 (Horizon League Tournament final)
• March 9: UW-Green Bay 73, Purdue Fort Wayne 48 (Horizon League Tournament semifinals)
• March 4: UW-Green Bay 81, Detroit Mercy 57 (Horizon League Tournament quarterfinals)
• Feb. 28: Purdue Fort Wayne 71, UW-Green Bay 66
• Feb. 25: UW-Green Bay 72, IU Indy 61

Minnesota (Last 5 Games)

• March 6: Ohio State 60, Minnesota 55 (Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals)
• March 9: Minnesota 78, Illinois 73
• March 8: Michigan State 75, Minnesota 61
• Feb. 28: Minnesota 74, Ohio State 61
• Feb. 26: Minnesota 83, Wisconsin 60

How to Watch

The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and is available for streaming on the ESPN app and Fubo, which offers a free trial for latest subscribers. The broadcast is also available on SiriusXM Channel 206.