Less than two weeks ago, the Gophers were dominated in every phase of the game in an 83-60 loss at Northwestern (12-9, 3-5 Big Ten). They were outrebounded 51-27 and struggled to compete on the road. Tuesday night was a chance for redemption. Minnesota (14-9, 3-7 Big Ten) led by as many as ten points behind a 25-point (7-for-14 shooting) effort from Nate Mason. A second half surge by the Wildcats was too much as the Gophers dropped their seventh Big Ten game of the year, 77-69.
The Wildcats were moving the ball well and creating offensive rebounds early in the game. They had four offensive boards in the first eight minutes of the game. Vic Law drilled a pair of three-pointers, including drawing a foul on a long-range hit. The Gophers would quickly answer by getting out in transition via defensive steals.
Dupree McBrayer created a deflection to Coffey, who delivered a beautiful pass to guard Jamir Harris for an easy layup. The Gophers went on a 7-0 run, grabbing an 18-15 lead at the 11:23 mark of the first half. The Gophers were on a 7-for-8 streak and shot 71 percent from the floor to begin the game. Minnesota attacked Northwestern’s zone well, too. Nate Mason was drilling open shots and had five quick assists to facilitate the Gophers’ ball movement. He was 6-for-8 and added six assists in the first half. Minnesota entered halftime with a 40-34 advantage behind a hot shooting performance.
Jordan Murphy had four quick second half points, including an impressive tip-in. However, the Gophers had three turnovers during a two-minute stretch and Amir Coffey was called for a flagrant foul, allowing the Wildcats to climb back within one-point. Throughout the second half, Coffey lost his composure and Northwestern players were constantly jabbing him all night. It impacted his play and the game’s momentum shifted following his unnecessary flagrant foul.
As the game progressed, Minnesota’s offense was unraveling and they were unable to consistently create shots or flash to the high-post against the zone. The Gophers fouled Northwestern three-point shooters on three occasions and Northwestern regained a two-point lead. Minnesota would have a chance to knot things up, but a Derek Pardon offensive rebound and finish extended their lead to 68-63 with 3:08 left. The Gophers struggled all night to communicate on defense and their rotations were a step slow. It allowed the Wildcats to outscore them 43-29 down the stretch during a 77-69 loss.
Notes:
Richard Pitino started Davonte Fitzgerald at the five-spot early in the game. The head coach continues to rotate the starting lineup in hopes of finding the right combination. He even tried a smaller lineup with Jordan Murphy playing the five-spot. This mix only lasted for a few minutes, but led to glimmers of success and more transition opportunities for the Gophers’ offense. It also spaced the floor, giving Jordan Murphy more chances to set up his moves in the high post.
Things also changed when Dupree McBrayer left the game with a leg injury. He has been battling various leg injuries all season and it is unclear whether this injury was aggravated. McBrayer returned to the floor for the final 20 minutes, but clearly was impacted by it. The Gophers have a variety of injuries piling up within their main core. Many players are trying to tough it out with limited depth already being an issue. It’s made finding a rotation even more difficult for Richard Pitino as players enter and exit on a consistent basis. More importantly, as Pitino recently noted, they don’t have time to practice between travel and scheduling demands.
The Gophers have now dropped seven Big Ten games, including five of their last six. They will take the next week off before traveling to Iowa for a clash with the Hawkeyes. Things won’t get an easier for Minnesota as they play their next two conference games on the road.