Amaya Battle finished with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. Grace Sullivan led Northwestern (7-10) with 18 points. Minnesota next battles Michigan at home on Wednesday.

Minnesota (16-2 overall, 4-2 Big Ten) had a four-game conference winning streak ended at No. 8 Maryland, a game in which the Gophers trailed by 20 with under three

Grocholski scored seven points in the comeback, including 5 of 5 free throws. Amaya Battle, who finished with 18 points, was 6 of 8 from the line in the fourth.

The Gophers football program added depth to its backfield Sunday when highly productive running back Xavier Ford from Leesville (La.) High School gave a verbal commitment to join Minnesota’s 2025 recruiting class.

The Minnesota Gophers got a late commitment on Sunday morning from 2024 Louisiana Mr. Football Xavier Ford, a 2025 running back out of Leesville.

The 5-foot-9, 210 pounder joins a running back room currently highlighted by Gophers star back Darius Taylor. Ford’s addition helps restock the cupboard at the position, after Minnesota had a couple running back commits flip to other programs late in the cycle.