Gophers' Lindsay Whalen, recovered from appendectomy, ready for Wisconsin

Whalen to return: Minnesota is 5-1 vs. Wisconsin under coach Lindsay Whalen, who will return to the bench after missing two games following an emergency appendectomy. That includes a 3-0 mark in Wisconsin, including last season's 83-80 overtime win. Whalen said she was feeling poorly on Monday of last week, but didn't go see the doctor until last Tuesday. She had the surgery that night at 9:30. She missed the Thursday game at Rutgers. Improving, she made the decision Saturday not to coach against Maryland on Sunday because she wanted to have some continuity. By Tuesday she was ready to return, though she's still pacing herself.

Gophers update: Minnesota is coming off a Sunday loss to 10th-ranked Maryland. The Gophers, playing without starting point guard Jasmine Powell, were within five early in the fourth before Maryland pulled away. ... G Sara Scalia has scored in double figures in six straight games. She is shooting 40.9% on three-pointers but has hit on just three of 16 over the last two games after going 22-for-38 in the previous four. F Kadi Sissoko has 26 points and 14 rebounds her last two games.

Wisconsin update: First-year coach Marisa Moseley inherited a Badgers team that had gone 17-38 overall and 5-33 in Big Ten Conference play the prior two seasons. Moseley was a Gophers assistant under Pam Borton from 2017-19. ... Wisconsin is 3-11 so far this season, 0-4 in the Big Ten, with victories over St. Thomas, Boise State and Illinois State. They lost by seven to a Bradley team the Gophers beat by 19. Wisconsin is led by G Julie Pospisilova (14.4 points, 3.3 assists) and G Sydney Hilliard (14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds). Wisconsin is 13th in the Big Ten in scoring (59.1).