Uninspired Gophers Manage to Win over Lesser Foe
December 30, 2018

The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team muscled its way past an outmanned squad representing Mount St. Mary’s University out of Emmitsburg, Md. 71-53 before an announced crowd of 10,767 at Williams Arena December 30.

A disappointed coach Richard Pitino told reporters after the game that his team “needed to get better shots” at the basket if they are to succeed in upcoming Big 10 play. He chided his team for “not getting into rhythm” on offense and poor shot selection.

Sloppy play marred the first half against Mount St. Mary’s, a team that entered the game with only three wins in a dozen games. The period was only highlighted by the entrance of Eric Curry off the bench, Curry sat out last season and the first 12 games of this one, the result of a couple of knee surgeries. He wore a bulky knee brace and finished with four points and six rebounds in 17 minutes on the court.

The Gophers managed a 31-23 halftime lead thanks in no small measure to 10 points from guard DuPree McBrayer. Minnesota outrebounded the smaller Mountaineers 27 to 18 in the period.

The second half saw the Gophers vaulting to a 44-28 margin on a Daniel Oturu free throw at the 13.39 mark of the period, then fell into a shooting slump that allowed Mount St. Mary’s back into the game.

A Vado Morse three-point basket brought the Mountaineers within six points of the Gophers, but Mount St. Mary’s was never to get any closer to the heavily-favored home team.

The crowd stayed lethargic throughout the game with many watching the Bears-Vikings game on hand-held devices. Not that the Gophers were giving them much to cheer about until a resounding dunk by Jordan Murphy made the score 63 to 50 less than three minutes left to play. The visitors caved and allowed Minnesota to gain an 18-point advantage on McBrayer’s fast-break dunk. He finished with 15 points to lead the Gophers. Morse, who entered the game as a substitute, led all scorers for the game with 18 points including three three-point baskets.

After leading Minnesota in three-point accuracy in early games, starter Gabe Kalscheur appears to have lost confidence in his shooting, hitting only on one of six three-point attempts. Overall, the Gophers shot 21 percent from beyond the three-point line (on 19 attempts).

For the game, the bigger Gophers held a 42-34 rebounding advantage.

The Mountaineers have been a favorite foil for the Gophers in the past (their previous meeting was in 2015) as Mount St, Mary’s is now 0-21 against Big 10 opposition.

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