Preview: This is a second-round game at the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis. The Gophers, who got a first-round bye, are seeded fifth. The Wildcats, seeded 12th, defeated 13th-seeded Wisconsin 76-72 in overtime Wednesday in the first round despite playing without senior Maggie Lyon (16.5 points per game), who had a lower leg injury. The winner will play fourth-seeded Indiana on Friday in the quarterfinals.

About the Gophers: The most recent matchup between the Gophers and Wildcats was one of the most memorable, as Rachel Banham tied an NCAA record with 60 points to lead her team to a 112-106 double-overtime victory Feb. 7 on the road. The Gophers (19-10) also beat the Wildcats 95-92 at Williams Arena. Banham is 18 points away from reaching 3,000 for her career and 23 points away from moving into the top 10 career scorers in NCAA history. The Gophers average 83.7 points per game, but defense has been lacking; their past four opponents have averaged 101.3 points per game.

About Northwestern: The Wildcats (16-15) were ranked in the top 20 after starting the season 10-0, but they managed only two victories in the final 13 games of the regular season. Hopkins native Nia Coffey made the all-Big Ten first team and leads the Wildcats with 19.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. She set the program's single-season rebounding record on Wednesday. She now has 306. G Ashley Deary was named the Big Ten defensive player of the year.

RACHEL BLOUNT