The No. 23 Spartans used a 13-0 run to key a dominant fourth quarter in a 73-58 win against Minnesota on Saturday in the regular-season finale at the Breslin Center.

In the final quarter, Minnesota shot 4-15 (26.7%) from the field as a team, while Michigan State shot 9-12 (75%). A 29-4 difference in points off the bench and a poor fourth quarter were ultimately the difference in a game that the Gophers were competitive in for 33 minutes.

The Spartans trailed 52-48 when Ayrault knocked down the 3 with 7:28 to play to start the surge. Simmons, Theryn Hallock, Hampton and VanSlooten also had big moments during the run as MSU took control after shooting 36% through the first three quarters. Grace Grocholski had a game-high 23 points for Minnesota (20-10, 8-10).

A solid regular season from Minnesota women’s basketball came to a close on Saturday with a 73-58 loss to No. 23 Michigan State at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. Now, the Gophers have a conference tournament to prove to NCAA tournament selectors that they are worthy of the program’s first invitation to the Big Dance since 2018.

With just under eight minutes to go in a defensive-minded game at Michigan State on Saturday afternoon, Grace Grochoski drove for a score, putting the Gophers women’s basketball team up four points, and she was fouled.