Alabama A and M is the only HBCU on the Gopher women’s basketball schedule this season, and they are bringing a proven winner to The Barn. Head Coach Dawn E. Thornton, a Jackson State alum and accomplished recruiter, led the Bulldogs to a 21 and 11 record and a WNIT berth in her first season. Picked second in the SWAC, Alabama A and M features preseason SWAC Player of the Year Kalia Walker and a core of double digit scorers, giving local fans a rare chance to see a strong HBCU program and a Black woman head coach on the Williams Arena sidelines.