Gophers Lose Big in Madison

If only games were 8 minutes long”¦then the Gophers would still be undefeated in conference play. Unfortunately, they’re not, and Minnesota’s 68-45 loss at Wisconsin Saturday afternoon was a definite reality check. After starting hot and getting out to a 13-6 lead, the Gophers were outscored 36-7 over the next 18 minutes.

Dan Coleman and Spencer Tollackson fueled Minnesota’s strong start with three baskets apiece. Coleman finished with a game-high 15 points, although he struggled shooting the ball after his quick start. Tollackson finished with 11 points and 6 rebounds (in just 18 minutes of play) but missed the entire second half with an injured left wrist. No other Gopher scored more than 5 points.

This was a game where the Gophers were going to have to shoot the ball very well in order to have a chance. Instead, they shot just 30% in the first half and just 35% for the game. That more than offset a decent defensive effort, which held Wisconsin to 43% shooting for the game. The Gophers took better care of the ball than they have in some recent games (just 15 turnovers), but they again struggled on the boards (after a decent start) where they were outrebounded 40-33.

Wisconsin is sadly but clearly in a different league than Minnesota this year. The Gophers now get a week to prepare before heading to Iowa next Saturday. That game should be much easier, but it still won’t be easy.

Here’s the box score.

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