Injured Mara Braun watches Gophers women’s basketball team win

“I feel for that kid,” Plitzuweit said. “Because she worked so hard and had done everything right to come back. And now we have to figure out our rhythm and rotations and all those things.”

It will be a challenge for a team that is 21-5 since the start of last season with Braun in the lineup, 5-10 without her.

But the team might be better prepared to deal with the injury this season. The Gophers’ improved depth showed. Stewart led a bench that scored 30 points. She and Taylor Woodson (nine) scored 23 of those.

Mallory Heyer (eight points, five rebounds), Grocholski and Amaya Battle (eight points, five assists and one turnover) have already been through this.

“We just have to continue to play unselfishly,’’ Grocholski said of a team that had six players score eight or more points, got assists on 19 of 26 field goals and had six players hit a three-pointer Wednesday. “Just letting the game come to us, not trying to do too much.”

McKinney, a freshman from Minnetonka, did all that and more. She used her quickness to draw seven fouls, which led to eight free-throw attempts. She defended well on the perimeter, had a block, made three of five shots.