Gophers women's basketball resets after looking like 'we completely gave up'

January 23 at Williams Arena was the low point, the most difficult point, of the Minnesota women's basketball team's season.

Iowa came to Minneapolis and beat the Gophers 105-49. Star Iowa guard Caitlin Clark had one of her NCAA Division I-leading five triple-doubles with 35 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. The Gophers were outscored 58-15 in the second half, 21-3 in the fourth quarter.

The next day there was a film session. And then a players-only meeting. Gadiva Hubbard won't say specifically what was said in that meeting. But here are some themes:

"We talked about how we were never going to let that happen again,'' she said after practice Tuesday. "It looked like, in that game, we completely gave up. And you could see it, in our body language. Just the way we were reacting on the court. I think we've picked it up since that game. We've turned some things around since that game.''

It took time, and another blow.

The Gophers came back and lost by three at Michigan State in a game where the Gophers had a chance to tie the game with 13 seconds left. Then a loss at Purdue, after which starting point guard Jasmine Powell announced her decision to leave the team and enter the NCAA transfer portal.

But since then?

The Gophers cobbled together a close win against Wisconsin. Then they went to Indiana to face the fifth-ranked Hoosiers. They led by four with just over 4 minutes left before losing down the stretch. Sunday, in a rematch with Michigan State, the Gophers played one of their best – and most cohesive – games of the season in an 11-point win, their first against a team with a winning Big Ten record this year.

Big Ten women's basketball standings

And now: Iowa, again. The Gophers play in Iowa City on Wednesday hoping to show how much things have changed. After the big loss to Iowa, after the loss of Powell, the Gophers could have collapsed. But, so far, they've responded.

"I think after the Iowa game we had to turn some things around,'' Sara Scalia said. "Just with our team dynamic, how we looked on the court. We didn't look like we played together. That is the big thing we focused on after that game.''

In recent games, sophomore guard Alexia Smith has played better, more aggressively. The Gophers have gotten key contributions at different moments from players like Laura Bagwell-Katalinich and Bailey Helgren. The team has played more aggressively, more together, on defense.

"At some of these [critical] moments it's like, what are you going to do?'' coach Lindsay Whalen said. "What are we going to do as a team? We've had film sessions. We've had meetings. I just like where we're at so much right now. I feel there is a different vibe, a different energy.''

At Tuesday's practice the Gophers had a special guest playing the part of Clark on the scout team: Rachel Banham. It was an up-tempo practice for a team that feels better than it did just 2½ weeks ago when the loss to Iowa and the loss of Powell was a one-two punch.

"It was, 'OK, we have to come closer together,' " Hubbard said. "We were losing someone who can score, who can play really good defense. We have no choice but to bond closer.''