Gophers' Grace Grocholski earns Big Ten honor; Iowa game sells out

Grace Grocholski was named the Big Ten's women's basketball freshman of the week. But if you want to go see Grocholski and her Gophers teammates host Iowa on Feb. 28 and don't already have a ticket, you're out of luck.

That was the news out of the University of Minnesota on Monday.

First, Grocholski: She averaged 19 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists as the Gophers (7-1) won consecutive home games against Norfolk State and Drake. That included a 26-point game against Norfolk State, the highest-scoring game by a Big Ten freshman this season. Grocholski then added 12 points, five assists and six rebounds in the double-overtime victory over Drake.

Grocholski is the only conference freshman to have single-game performances of 26 points or seven assists (Cal State Northridge) and is one of three with nine or more rebounds in a game (Stony Brook). She is second among Big Ten freshmen in scoring (11 points per game), first in rebounds (5.4) and tied for first in assists (2.9).

And the sellout: The Gophers announced Monday all the spots in the 14,625-seat Williams Arena had been sold. Iowa, currently No. 4 in the nation, is led by Caitlin Clark, whose play has heightened the college women's game around the country. The Hawkeyes, currently 8-1, will no doubt send some fans north for the game, the Gophers' first sellout since Nov. 9, 2018, when the team beat New Hampshire 70-47.

The Gophers pointed fans toward SeatGeek, the "official fan-to-fan marketplace for Gopher Athletics," and noted that "students will be able to use their Student Sport Pass for entry until capacity is reached in the student section."

The game, the Gophers' last of the regular season at home, will be a "Maroon Out." It is also Senior Night.