There were times Wednesday when open shots, point-blank, didn’t fall. There were times when the best decision might have been to pass out of a swarming defense rather than try to force a shot. Sometimes better shots will come when the Gophers women’s basketball team gets a stop at one end and can force the action at the other.

The Gophers held the Wolverines to just seven points in the second quarter but were outscored in the other three in the loss. Still, they were well-positioned to take home their first win against a ranked opponent before the offense went cold in the waning minutes of the game.

Despite a close loss last week to #8 ranked Maryland, the Gopher Women's Basketball team has moved up one spot in the national rankings.

This was a bigger stage. The Gophers women’s basketball team was playing in Williams Arena on Wednesday as a ranked team for the first time this season. The 23rd-ranked Gophers were hosting No. 24 Michigan,