Isabelle Gradwell's last-second three-pointer seals Gophers women's basketball victory over Nebraska

There were 11.5 seconds left, coming out of a timeout, tie game, last possession of regulation at Williams Arena on Wednesday.

Gophers guard Mara Braun took the inbounds pass at midcourt. She dribbled, calmly, looking over the Nebraska defense. Her instructions? Simple: Get downhill, make a decision. From the left side, she attacked, and she drew defenders. Braun passed the ball to Isabelle Gradwell in the right corner, wide open, and she shot.

Finally, a win.

Gradwell's three-pointer went through the net with 0.3 seconds left, giving the Gophers a 95-92 victory over the Huskers, breaking a six-game losing streak. In a game with seemingly endless momentum swings, the young Gophers remained poised, absorbed some big punches, persevered.

"I'm incredibly proud of our group for their resiliency,'' Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen said. "Just how they handled things, how they handled the ebbs and flows.''

There were plenty of both. In the fourth quarter alone there were 10 lead changes and six ties. Not to mention a few things you don't normally see. Like a five-point Nebraska possession early in the fourth (count it: A three-point play from Jaz Shelley, a Minnesota foul on the made free throw, two more free throws) then a score on the ensuing possession that erased a Gophers lead. Or a four-point play by Shelley with 46 seconds left that tied the game at 92.

Or, simply, Shelley scoring 18 of her 37 points in the fourth quarter.

Through it all? Relative calm from a team that lost in overtime its last game.

"No matter our record — we don't care, nobody cares, we're just going to come out and fight,'' said Braun, who had perhaps the best game of her freshman season with 28 points, seven rebounds. "That is the story of this team. The last game we lost in overtime. This game? We were like, 'This isn't happening again.' "

Braun was aggressive from start to finish, making nine of 13 shots. She hit three of four three-pointers, giving her the space later in the game to attack the rim. Her 28 points were her highest in a Big Ten game.

Nebraska (14-12, 6-9) lost its third straight.

Determined to turn the game into a free-throw shooting contest, the officials sent the two teams to the line a total of 66 times. Katie Borowicz fouled out for the Gophers after 15 points, six assists and no turnovers (the Gophers had only nine on the night). Amaya Battle fouled out after scoring 12 points with five assists and eight boards. Stepping up, Borowicz, Angelina Hammond (12 points, five boards) and Gradwell (eight points) helped the Gophers bench to a 37-3 edge over Nebraska reserves. Center Rose Micheaux scored 16.

Minnesota (10-16, 3-12 Big Ten) led by four before Shelley's four-point play. On the ensuing possession, Gradwell missed a three. Out of a timeout Nebraska's Sam Haiby was fouled with 12 seconds left but missed both free throws. Mallory Heyer rebounded the second miss.

Out of a timeout Maggie Czinano inbounded it to Braun, who dished.

"If I would have had an edge, I would have kept going," Braun said. "But three people came off, and they left [Gradwell] in the corner, which they should never do.''

Said Gradwell: "I just looked at the rim. I said, 'If the ball comes to me I'm shooting it and I'm making it.' "

For a team that has struggled at times, it was a good night.

"It feels good to be able to stay resilient through it,'' Braun said. "We've taken some lumps, but we've been able to bounce back."