MINNEAPOLIS — In a moment straight out of basketball lore, Amaya Battle delivered the shot that propelled the University of Minnesota women's basketball team to its first Sweet 16 appearance in 21 years. With the score tied at 63 and just 0.7 seconds left in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday, Battle drove toward the lane, pulled back along the baseline, and launched a tiebreaking jump shot that swished through the net, securing a 65-63 victory over Ole Miss at Williams Arena.
The crowd of 10,763 erupted in cheers as Battle, landing on her back after the follow-through, sat up and thrust both arms skyward to signal the make. Her teammates swarmed her in the corner near the bench, turning the court into a sea of golden jerseys. It was the first game of the tournament decided by fewer than three points, and Minnesota's home-court advantage — secured early by the program's foresight in aiming for a top-16 seed — proved decisive.
"I think any basketball player, when you shoot on your own, you're like, 'OK, three, two, one,' throw it up there and see what happens," Battle said afterward. She finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, capping a performance that included a crucial charge drawn on Ole Miss star Cotie McMahon with 4:22 remaining, which fouled out the Rebels' leading scorer.
Mara Braun led the No. 4-seeded Gophers (24-8) with 17 points, emphasizing the team's confidence in Battle's clutch ability. "We practice it almost every day before every game, so it's nothing really new," Braun said. "She hits those shots every day in practice over our scout guys. Everyone I think knew that it was in."
The victory sent Minnesota advancing to face either Oregon State or Gonzaga in the Spokane Regional, marking a milestone for a program that last reached this stage in 2003. Coach Dawn Plitzuweit, who guided the Gophers to their first NCAA appearance since 2018, called the ending surreal. "You can't make this stuff up," she said.
For Ole Miss, the loss was a bitter end to a season that saw the fifth-seeded Rebels (25-9) reach the second round for the third straight year. Their final desperation heave hit the front of the rim and fell short, leaving coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin to reflect on a game defined by close calls. "That's out of a Disney movie," McPhee-McCuin said of Battle's shot.
McMahon's exit loomed large in the narrative. The SEC Newcomer of the Year, who transferred from Ohio State and is projected as a first-round WNBA draft pick next month, scored 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting but played only 21 minutes after picking up her second foul early in the first quarter and the fifth on Battle's charge. "That was our best defense, not having her on the court, very honestly," Plitzuweit acknowledged.
Battle described her strategy against McMahon simply: "She got a ton of buckets out of me, on us, and it was because she was powering through. I was like, 'All right, I'm just going to try to fall and see what happens,' and it worked out." McMahon, maintaining composure, said, "I was dealt the cards that I was dealt. I just handled it and still tried to make the right plays for my team."
McPhee-McCuin was more pointed in her assessment of the officiating, particularly the charge call. "I just haven't seen the best players get fouled out," she said. "From my point of view, the last call was incorrect. We watched it 1,500 times. One of the things I do understand is that officials are human and environments create them to officiate in a particular type of way. I don't think that's why we lost the game. I just know that Cotie is our leading scorer, newcomer of the year, all of the things, and she plays 20 minutes, and it's disappointing. These fans deserved more than that. The game deserves more than that."
"I just haven't seen the best players get fouled out," McPhee-McCuin said. "From my point of view, the last call was incorrect. We watched it 1,500 times."
The game itself was a tight affair from the start, with Minnesota holding a slim lead for much of the second half before Ole Miss tied it at 63 with 10 seconds left on a layup by Kennedy Calhoun. Battle, the senior point guard and sister of NBA player Jamison Battle, took the inbound pass and made her move, turning what could have been overtime into triumph.
This buzzer-beater stood out in a women's tournament that, up to this point, had been short on drama. The only other close call came in the first round when Clemson's apparent game-winning 3-pointer against Southern California didn't count due to a clock error, leading to an overtime loss for the Tigers. Minnesota's win provided the kind of highlight-reel moment the bracket had been craving.
Williams Arena, known as "The Barn," pulsed with energy throughout, a testament to the Gophers' preparation. By securing a top-four seed in the region, Minnesota ensured the second- and third-round games would be at home, a strategic move that paid off amid the program's resurgence under Plitzuweit, hired in 2021 from Northern Iowa.
Looking ahead, the Gophers' path to the Final Four grows steeper. Their next opponent will emerge from the matchup between No. 5 Oregon State and No. 12 Gonzaga on Monday. For Battle, whose college career ends after this tournament, the shot was a fitting farewell. "It was real life today," she said, echoing the daydreams of countless players.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, heads into offseason reflection after a strong SEC campaign that included a tournament semifinal appearance. McPhee-McCuin's Rebels were ranked as high as No. 10 nationally this season, but the narrow defeat underscores the fine margins in March Madness. As the tournament progresses, Minnesota's Cinderella run adds intrigue to a bracket dominated by higher seeds so far.
The NCAA women's tournament, now in its 42nd year, continues to showcase rising stars like McMahon and veterans like Battle. With 64 teams vying for the title in Cleveland on April 7, moments like Sunday's remind fans why the event captivates millions annually.