Grace Grocholski scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the 17th-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers to an 87-79 victory over the Marquette Golden Eagles on Friday night at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee.
The sophomore guard shot efficiently from the field and added three assists in 34 minutes of action. Her double-double performance anchored a balanced Minnesota attack that saw four players reach double figures.
Minnesota improved to 2-0 on the young season, while Marquette fell to 1-1. The Golden Gophers controlled the tempo for much of the second half, extending a slim halftime lead to as many as 14 points before holding off a late Marquette rally.
The game marked the season opener for both programs at the historic Al McGuire Center, named after the legendary Marquette coach who led the program to its 1977 NCAA championship.
