Gophers Beat Indiana 67-63 for First Big Ten Win
January 4, 2011

The Minnesota Gophers won several nonconference games by margins that should have been larger, and they followed the same pattern in their first home conference game, beating Indiana 67-63.

The Hoosiers, who, like the Gophers, were 0-2 in the Big Ten, opened a 9-point lead in the first half with a 15-0 run, and battled to the end. After a Verdell Jones three-pointer cut the Minnesota lead to 65-63 with 7.2 seconds left, the Hoosiers nearly stole Trevor Mbakwe’s inbound pass. Instead, as players battled for the loose ball, Indiana’s Jordan Hulls was called for a foul on Blake Hoffarber, who made both free throws with 4.8 seconds left to complete the schedule.

The Gophers appeared to be in control in the first half, especially with its dominance on the boards, before the Hoosiers made their run, partly the result of costly turnovers and poor defense by Minnesota.

Hulls hit a jumper with 4:39 left in the half to cut Minnesota’s lead to 23-19. Maurice Creek then stripped the ball from Colton Iverson, raced downcourt and flipped the ball back to Victor Oladipo, who scored to make it a two-point lead. Oladipo made one of two free throws, and Creek hit a three-pointer to put the Hoosiers in front. Jones blew past Sampson for a layup before Will Sheehey hit a three-pointer and then a putback basket to make the score 32-23. Blake Hoffarber connected on a three-pointer for Minnesota before the half ended with Indiana holding a six-point lead.

The Hoosiers built back their lead, to 38-30, in the second half when the Gophers made a run. Baskets by Al Nolen and Rodney Williams, who was fouled, cut Indiana’s lead to four and sent Williams to the line. He missed, but Trevor Mbakwe tipped the rebound back to Williams, who scored. Williams scored again, this time on a dunk, to tie the game.

At this point, the Gophers showed some defense. Ralph Sampson swatted away a Christian Watford shot and, moments later, Mbakwe rejected Oladipo to keep the score 38-38 before Williams connected on a turnaround fadeaway in the lane for a 48-40 lead.

The teams exchanged baskets and were tied 51-51 when Ralph Sampson scored his first point of the game, making one of two free throws, to put the Gophers ahead to stay. The ball was bouncing the Gophers’ way soon after as Williams’s hard pass bounced off Sampson’s hands. Instead of sailing out of bounds, however, the ball hit the backboard and came back to Sampson, who laid it in for a 56-51 lead. After a free throw by Hoffarber, Williams had another stuff (one he called “not too nasty” but which brought the crowd to its feet) to open up an eight-point lead, which seemed safe. Indiana had three-point baskets by Creek and Jones in the final 17 seconds and nearly got a steal in the closing seconds that could have put them in position to tie or win.

However, the Gophers held on to raise their record to 1-3. Minnesota next plays at second-ranked Ohio State and needed this win, over a lesser opponent at home, to keep from facing an 0-4 conference start.

Minnesota coach Tubby Smith called the game, “A win we needed, ” especially with the loss of junior Devoe Joseph, who has left the team. Joseph had been suspended for the first six games of the year and has announced that he intends to transfer to another school. Smith refused to talk about the situation.

Notes: The Hoosiers are now 34-59, 5-36 in the Big Ten, under fourth-year coach Tom Crean. Mbakwe had 11 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the game.