Gopher Womens BB beats buzzer to move into Sweet 16

(Minneapolis, MN/Minnesota News Network) — The Golden Gopher women’s basketball team is heading to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005 thanks to a last second shot on Sunday at Williams Arena. The Gophers beat Ole Miss 65-63 in a thriller that came down to the final second. With the game tied and less than four-seconds reaming, the Gophers ran a sideline out of bounds play to senior guard Amaya Battle of Hopkins, who hit the game-winning 15-foot baseline jumper with less than a second left. The shot sent the crowd of nearly 11-thousand into chaos and punched Minnesota’s ticket to Sacramento and the Sweet 16. Minnesota junior guard Mara Braun of Wayzata led Minnesota with 17 points, while Battle added 14 points and 11 rebounds, delivering the biggest bucket of the season when it mattered most. Ole Miss was paced by Sira Thienou’s 18 points, but the Rebels managed only nine points in the fourth quarter, opening the door for Minnesota’s comeback. With the win, the Gophers advance to face either U-C-L-A or Oklahoma State in the Sweet Sixteen on Friday. Those two teams play tonight in Los Angeles.