Gophers Get Crushed and Fall to 0-6

For a good portion of the game it looked like the Gophers could avoid an embarrassing final score. Minnesota hung tough during the first half and cut the second half lead to four points early on, but in the end, it got ugly”¦.again. The Fighting Illini of Illinois built a methodical lead in the games first 30 minutes and ultimately buried an undermanned Gopher team 77-53 Wednesday night at Champaign.

For Minnesota, the losses continue to pile up. For the second time in the last three seasons, the Gophers start the Big Ten season 0-6. In addition to not having a win in conference play, the team is also without an identity, without a consistent go-to threat, and without the shut-down defense that inspired the program and a fan base just a year ago.

After coming out aggressive and effective in the first half with 11 points, Vincent Grier was shut down in the second half as he finished with just four points in the last 20 minutes. Grier’s first half play gave the Gophers the lead on a couple of different occasions before the Illini went on a late run and led 39-31 at halftime.

Like he does every time he touches the floor, J’Son Stamper brought great energy into the second half and cut the Illinois lead to four points. Stamper scored eight points in the first couple of minutes of the second half, but it wasn’t enough as the athleticism, speed, and defensive pressure took its toll on the Gophers as Illinois blew the game open midway through the second half.

Grier and Maurice Hargrow led the way for the Gophers with 14 points each. Stamper added 10 points and eight rebounds. Dee Brown led four Illini in double figures with a game-high 17 points.

The Gophers’ frustration mounts as the questions continue to go unanswered and deficiencies unsolved. The losses are piling up about as quickly as the TV ratings are falling. Let’s just hope that this isn’t “œGolden Gopher Basketball.”