Leaky defense, disorganized offensive sets, and foul trouble at the five spot plagued the Gophers in a 95-79 loss at Arkansas. Jordan Murphy scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Razorbacks shot the ball well and exposed Minnesota’s defensive weaknesses. The Gophers dropped their third straight game and couldn’t overcome a litany of issues against a deep Arkansas squad.
The Gophers really struggled on the defensive end throughout the game. Arkansas had open three-point jumpers and hit five of their first nine attempts. Minnesota was getting beat up the floor and lost three times in transition due to a lack of hustle. The Razorbacks were making easy baskets and couldn’t miss over the first 20 minutes. Arkansas was shooting 67 percent from the floor at the break and couldn’t miss. Foul trouble was also a major key for the Gophers in the first half. Reggie Lynch picked up two fouls in less than four minutes and it sent Minnesota into a tail spin at the five spot.
Bakary Konate missed the game with a concussion, which thrust Gaston Diedhiou into an extended role. He quickly was called for two fouls and the Gophers had no alternatives. Lynch drew contact to start the second half and was called for his third foul just 16 seconds into the second half. By the end of the game, Lynch and Jordan Murphy both were playing with four fouls and things quickly got out of control. Minnesota lost the battle in the paint 46-39. They also struggled on the defensive glass and the big men couldn’t get position inside. Arkansas and the Gophers were even on the defensive glass. The help side defense off dribble penetration was almost non-existent when Arkansas attacked. Minnesota allowed 50 first half points and displayed minimal defense in almost every capacity.
The Gophers have lacked energy on both ends of the floor and it’s hard to find a vocal leader right now. Last year, there were moments where the team faced adversity, but a player like Akeem Springs would fire up his teammates. Right now, the Gophers don’t have a leader like this and it’s been noticeable in games where they’ve been forced to battle back. It’s hard to put a finger on, but this team has been without competitive fire and unable to push through it. The lack of depth also continues to be a major problem because the Gophers don’t have enough skilled players down low to provide quality minutes when foul trouble arises.
There have been many stretches this season where the Gophers have been unable to create ball movement in their offensive sets. Saturday night was no exception. Minnesota lost the assists battle 23-10, which illustrated their poor ball movement. The Gophers haven’t been playing selfless basketball and it has really big a problem over the past two games. The offense was running through the post when the Gophers had a ton of issues with personnel. Minnesota’s offensive gameplan didn’t seem to work the best against Arkansas’ depth. The Gophers needed to maximize their possessions and take quality shots. Instead, they forced difficult ones and their guards played passively.
The Gophers haven’t been shooting well from the free throw line this year. Dupree McBrayer and Jordan Murphy missed a pair each during small first half runs. The Gophers shot just 24-for-37 from the free throw line and many of them came during critical stages of the game. Minnesota simply couldn’t overcome the lapses they were facing on defense and looked completely disorganized on offense. This has been a theme over the past four or five games. It’s has been especially noticeable when the Gophers have played in more hostile road environments.
They’ll return home as they attempt to get back on track against Drake on Monday night. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. CT at the Barn.