Sports

Minneapolis hosts Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament for the first time

Members of a team rise from a bench and clap
Minnesota bench reacts during the Women's Big Ten Tournament game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Penn State at Target Center on Wednesday March 01, 2023 in Minneapolis.
Kerem Yücel | MPR News

For its 30th anniversary, the 2023 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament is in Minnesota, what many are calling a “mecca for women’s basketball” for its supportive fan base and breadth of young talent.

Minnesota has the highest per-capita rate of prep girls basketball players with 12,073 athletes, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

The City of Minneapolis and Target Center are hosting the tournament from March 1-5, alongside the Minnesota Lynx, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Sports and Events.

Indianapolis typically hosts the tournament.

The University of Minnesota played Penn State in the first game of the tournament on Wednesday. The Gophers lost 72-67.

Here are photos from its first game day, kicking off Women’s History Month and celebrating 50 years of Title IX.

Find information on tickets, ancillary events and more on the tournament website.