INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Elle Ladine had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Sayvia Sellers and Dalayah Daniels each added 15, and No. 12 seed Washington beat No. 13 seed Minnesota 79-65 on Wednesday in its first Big Ten Tournament appearance.
Washington (19-12), which also beat the Gophers 72-62 on Feb. 26, will look for its sixth straight victory on Thursday against No. 5 seed Michigan in the second round of the tournament. The Huskies lost their only regular-season matchup with the Wolverines 82-69 on Jan. 15.
Daniels put Washington ahead 32-30 on a putback basket in the closing seconds of the first half and Ladine had a game-high 15 points at the break.
Washington used a 12-0 run to go ahead 52-38 with 2:50 left in the third quarter. Sellers made two 3-pointers during the run, and she found Tayra Eke for Washington’s fifth straight field goal.
After Minnesota closed the third quarter on a 7-0 run to get within 54-48, Hannah Stines scored five points during Washington’s 7-0 run to open the fourth for a 13-point lead.
Stines finished with 14 points for Washington, which has won the last six meetings with the Gophers.
Grace Grocholski scored 21 points for Minnesota (20-11) and Mallory Heyer added 11. All 11 of Minnesota’s losses this season came at the hands of Big Ten opponents.
The Gophers dropped to 11-32 in the tournament, with their only appearance in the final occurring in 2005.
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