Minnesota girls basketball tournament: Five matters to mull and three things to know

Eagan girls basketball coach Jesse Madsen has a newfound appreciation for elation.

"I've never witnessed such pure joy as I did after that section final game," Madsen said. "I'm so unbelievably proud of the girls."

Madsen was referring to Saturday night, when his Wildcats knocked off Rosemount 63-52 to win the Class 4A, Section 3 championship and secure Eagan's first berth in the girls basketball state tournament.

The Wildcats (19-10) avenged two regular-season, double-digit losses to Rosemount. They will face St. Michael-Albertville (26-3), ranked third in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News, in the quarterfinals Wednesday at Williams Arena.

"The individual growth of this year's players has been incredible," Madsen said. "They just keep working so hard to improve, and they are seeing the fruits of their labor."

He had hoped it would happen a year earlier. The Wildcats were upset by Park of Cottage Grove 43-39 in the semifinals of the section tournament last season.

"We really had our sights set last year on breaking through and getting over the hump but were upset in the section semifinals," said Madsen, in his fifth season at the helm of the program. "We won a total of 16 games over my first three seasons. Last year we won 18 games and this year we're at 19."

Senior Madi McCullum is Eagan's only starter whose scoring average is in double figures, at 10.7 points per game. The other starters average seven to nine points per game.

"This trip to the state tournament means everything to our program," Madsen said. "All four of our teams had winning records this year. Our youth program is competitive and is going strong. And most importantly, kids want to be a part of Eagan girls basketball."

Becker coach Dan Baird knew nobody would feel sorry for his team when it was dealing with injuries earlier this season. The Bulldogs are a traditional power in Class 3A.

That doesn't mean it was easy to overcome the difficulties. Becker lost junior guard Alexis Rose (12.5-point scoring average) to an ACL injury in the sixth game of the season.

"It took a little bit to figure out how to play without Alexis, but we eventually did," Baird said.

Senior guard Maren Westin, the Bulldogs' third-leading scorer at 15.4 points per game, was also sidelined for six games. And still Becker, with five seniors in the starting lineup, is 25-3 and ended the regular season ranked first in Class 3A. The Bulldogs have reached the championship game each of the past four years, winning in 2021 and finishing as runners-up in 2019 and 2022. The championship game in 2020 was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bulldogs enter their quarterfinal matchup with Marshall (21-9) on a 12-game winning streak and as winners of 20 of their past 21 games.

Senior guards Ayla Brown (19.5 points per game), Dani Nuest (16.5) and Westin lead the offense. Two senior 6-footers, Evelyn Kreft and Liz Mackedanz, control the paint. Sophomores Hannah Dierkes and Lauren Croal provide depth off the bench.

"These seven girls give us a great chance to compete for a state title," Baird said.

Class 4A No. 2 Hopkins (26-2) dealt much of the season with an ankle injury that hampered senior forward Taylor Woodson, who is committed to Michigan for college. She is healthy now and playing at a high level for the defending state champions.

"Her being back in the lineup brings a sense of wholeness and completeness," Royals assistant coach Alexis Garcia said. "We did well without her, but there was always something missing."

Woodson averages 18.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists. She is averaging 23.2 points in her past five games and made the game-winning basket with 29 seconds left in overtime against Wayzata in the Section 6 final.

"She is a big leader on and off the court," Garcia said. "She brings a different level of toughness. She isn't scared of anything."

The Royals are a veteran team, with three other seniors and one junior in the starting lineup. Senior forward Nunu Agara (averaging 19.3 points and 9.5 rebounds and committed to Stanford), junior guard and Division I prospect Liv McGill (12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists) and senior guard Kelly Boyle (10.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists) also provide double-figure scoring. Senior guard Macaya Copeland rounds out the starting five.

The Royals will play Roseville (19-10) in the quarterfinals.

Three players who reached 2,000 career points faster than nearly anyone — Tori Oehrlein of Crosby-Ironton, Maddyn Greenway of Providence Academy and Addi Mack of Minnehaha Academy — are in the Class 2A field. Oehrlein and Greenway are freshmen, Mack a sophomore. All are Division I prospects.

Oehrlein reached the milestone in 72 games, Greenway in 80, and they were quickest in history to get there. Mack needed 91 games.

Their scoring averages: Oehrlein 31.5, Greenway 31.2, Mack 29.9.

The coaches in this year's state tournament field with the most appearances at state, according to basketball historian Matt Pederson:

20: Mike Dreier, New London-Spicer (most in history).

12: Jeff Buffetta, Mountain Iron-Buhl; Wendy Kohler, Alexandria.

11: Kent Hamre, St. Michael-Albertville.

2: Teams — Eagan and Stewartville — making their initial state tournament appearance. Eagan is in Class 4A, Stewartville in 3A.

10 (a.m.): When the tournament begins Wednesday, with Class 4A and 3A teams taking the court. Class 4A will be at Williams Arena and Class 3A next door at Maturi Pavilion.

26: The longest winning streak entering the state tournament, shared by Grand Rapids and Providence Academy. Grand Rapids (26-2) lost its first two games of the season. Providence Academy (27-2) won its season opener before dropping its next two.