What’s next for Gophers women’s basketball after Big Ten exit?

On Thursday night, not long after the Gophers’ run in the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament ended against Michigan, Minnesota coach Dawn Plitzuweit said she hopes it isn’t over.

Their season, that is.

After beating Rutgers and losing to Michigan, the Gophers are 16-15 and eligible for the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, with that bracket being announced March 17.

“I’m hopeful we have a chance to keep playing in the postseason,” Plitzuweit said. “I think these young ladies have earned that. When we look at the body of work for the whole season, I think they’ve put themselves in a position to continue playing, and I hope we have a chance to keep doing that.”

The body of work has been the definition of an up-and-down season.

With the youngest roster in the Big Ten, which includes 11 underclassmen, the Gophers started the season 14-4. They had a 4-3 start to Big Ten play, including a stretch in which they won three out of four games with victories over Nebraska, Michigan and Michigan State — all teams predicted to be in the NCAA tournament.

On Jan. 28, the Gophers were up seven points at Illinois after Mara Braun hit a three-pointer early in the fourth quarter. But she landed on an opponent’s foot coming down, injuring her right foot, which required surgery. Starting center Sophie Hart was lost to a sore hip on Feb. 17.

The Gophers wound up losing 10 of their final 11 regular-season games.

The past six weeks have shown the Gophers need to improve their depth. Even when Braun and Hart return — and Plitzuweit held out hope one or both could play if the Gophers get a postseason berth — the team will have to find more scoring.

There is scoring and depth coming with the expected return of injured redshirt freshman Kennedy Klick and the most recent recruiting class. But Plitzuweit and her staff will need to comb the upcoming transfer portal, which opens March 18, while ensuring key members of the current team stay.

“This league is very veteran, and we’re a very young team,” sophomore Mallory Heyer said. “And we have a ways to go. But we’re willing to put the work in, and we’re excited.”

Indications are the team’s core should remain intact. Braun’s recent Instagram post that included her in a Gophers uniform and the words “I’ll be back” suggests the team’s leading scorer plans to return. After Thursday’s game, Amaya Battle talked about the positive impact the new coaching staff has had on her game.

It would appear Plitzuweit stands a good chance of having six of the team’s top seven scorers return.

“It’s continuing to grow our game, individually and as a team,” Heyer said. “Continue to get faster, to get stronger.”

One thing the conference tournament may have shown is the ascendancy of Battle. As her second season comes to a close, she has elevated to a new level.

Battle averaged 11.9 points and 5.5 assists during the season. She also averaged 3.6 turnovers. But this week, she put together her best-ever two-game stretch. She scored 54 points on 17-for-35 shooting with 10 assists and just four turnovers combined.

Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico was impressed. “I’m like, ‘Holy cow, we have to face that kid for another two years,’ ” she said.

Battle credited coaches and teammates for her improvement. Plitzuweit credited the work Battle has put in. For the whole season, coaches have been encouraging Battle to penetrate the lane with the intention of scoring, to catch the ball ready to shoot.

“Amaya was a player that we said over and over and over again, you have to penetrate to score,” Plitzuweit said. “When you penetrate to pass, teams can take that away. When you penetrate to score, you’re going to create opportunities for everyone else.

“From that time to where she’s played in the last two games, it’s been really fun to see her confidence grow. Her best days are still in her future. She’s invested in wanting to continue to get better.”

Battle’s continued improvement and the return of Braun and Hart would create more opportunities for Grace Grocholski, who made the Big Ten all-freshman team.

There were other signs of good things to come at the conference tournament. Redshirt freshman Nia Holloway took advantage of extended playing time; her play against Rutgers post player Destiny Adams late in the Gophers’ first-round game was a key to victory.

The Gophers hope it wasn’t the last victory of the season.

“I think we all had a great past two games,” Battle said. “Our team brought a lot of energy, and we worked super hard. I think it gives us a lot of confidence to see what we can do.”