Minnesota ran out to a huge early lead on the Huskers Saturday and then decided that it could mail in the rest of the game. Kiera Hardy refused to go along with the plan. Nebraska pulled even and even took a small second-half lead. The Gophers found out that it's easy to give up momentum, but hard to get it back.

"The first 17 minutes was an indication of how great we can be," coach Borton said. Yes, and the next 17 minutes were an indication of how bad you can be.

Hardy and Jamie Broback, the game's two best players, had to sit much of the second half with foul trouble. When Hardy came back, she went cold — she called her fourth foul the turning point of the game.

When Broback came back, she just won the game.

(Some young Gopher fans were frightened by the whole ordeal. See below.)