MINNEAPOLIS — It has been a long, hard winter in Minnesota. The Twin Cities blew past its average snowfall in mid-January, and even after daylight saving time gifted residents with more potential sunshine, clouds seemingly decided to occupy the sky for weeks on end.
In Williams Arena, it has felt longer and colder still.
The Minnesota women’s basketball team limped to an 11-19 finish this March under program legend Lindsay Whalen. The day after the team’s season was over, the university announced the same was true of Whalen’s coaching career with her alma mater.
The Gophers are coming up on the 20th anniversary of their Final Four run when Whalen strapped the team on her back and came within striking distance of UConn and a national title game appearance. They followed up that season with a trip to the Sweet 16. It was enough to instill a level of deep hope and optimism in Minnesota fans, one that has managed to persist even when the program has not. The winters here might not be great for much, but they do teach residents how to heartily wait out a cold spell.
Since 2005, the Gophers have been to the NCAA Tournament only five times, never getting out of the second round. They haven’t ended a season ranked in the Top 25 since then, either.
Meanwhile, the state has…
