Grace Grocholski scores career-high 26 as Gophers women trounce Norfolk State

It was going to happen, and likely sooner than later.

Grace Grocholski came to the Gophers women's basketball team from Kettle Moraine High School in Wisconsin, where she won two state titles while becoming one of the highest-scoring players in her state's history. During summer workouts and the team's trip to Europe, everyone saw Grocholski's smooth shot.

It arrived in force Wednesday at Williams Arena in the Gophers' 74-43 victory over Norfolk State.

Grocholski, the freshman, scored 26 points. She made nine of 14 shots overall and went 5-for-8 on three-pointers.

Grocholski had 17 points as the Gophers built an 18-point halftime lead. She scored 11 points in Minnesota's 21-6 second quarter.

When Amaya Battle (14 points) scored the Gophers' first five points of the second half, the game was all but decided.

Using a 22-7 edge on points off turnovers and a 13-0 edge on second-chance points, the Gophers improved to 6-1. Grocholski's 26 were the most scored by a Gophers player this season. Center Sophie Hart had 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Mallory Heyer had six points and 12 rebounds.

The Spartans (6-2) were led by former Cooper star Kierra Wheeler (14 points, nine rebounds).

The Gophers handled Norfolk State's full-court press well, taking care of the ball. Against a team that forces an average of almost 20 turnovers a game, the Gophers committed only 11. They continued their strong defense, holding the Spartans to 32.7% shooting.

With Grocholski and Hart leading the way, the Gophers started the game well, taking an eight-point lead on Hart's hook shot with 6:49 left in the quarter. But the Spartans actually came back to tie the score and were within three when the quarter ended.

The Gophers opened the second quarter on a 12-2 run — with Grocholski scoring nine of those on 3-for-3 three-point shooting, including consecutive treys that put the Gophers up 31-18 three-plus minutes into the quarter.

Out of a timeout, Paris Mulluns scored four in a row for the Spartans, cutting the lead to single digits with her free throws with 4:16 left in the half.

But the rest of the quarter belonged to the Gophers, who finished it on a 9-0 run, getting points from three players, including four from Battle, who started the run with a steal and score and ended it with two free throws that put the Gophers up 40-22.

The Gophers put this one away with a strong start to the second half; their lead kept growing, even when coach Dawn Plitzuweit sat her starters early in the fourth quarter.