A Shot to the Heart
February 18, 2015
University of Minnesota athletic teams have, to their regret, have a long history of taking for granted rival teams representing Northwestern University. And so it was Wednesday evening when the Wildcats, 10-point underdogs, placed their basketball squad on the floor at Williams Arena before 12,361 spectators who had braved bone-chilling cold to get to the event.
Undone by three-point baskets at Indiana on Sunday, the Gophers saw the experience repeated, this time at home by an inferior opponent who entered the fray with a 2-10 Big Ten record. Minnesota watched as the Wildcats rained down uncontested three-point buckets. In the first half alone, Northwestern had nine three-pointers and only three of the conventional variety.
The Gophers did play well to open the game. A successful jump shot by Maurice Walker gave Minnesota a 28-21 lead. Apparently satisfied that he had done his part, Walker then took the rest of the game off, content to spend the night as a spectator both on and off the court.
Northwestern went on a 12-0 roll featuring three-pointers from Bryant McIntosh and sub Nathan Taphorn shooting over the Gopher zone. Minnesota responded behind reserve Nate Mason to forge a 36-36 tie at halftime. Mason’s heroics were needed because senior guard Andre Hollins apparently had joined Walker in taking the night off. Hollins, Minnesota’s leading scorer for the 2014-15 season, went scoreless for the half.
Whatever coach Richard Pitino told his players at the half didn’t register, and Minnesota opened the period playing as if the game was already over. The Gophers were down 49-42 when Hollins, in a trance-like state, dribbled the ball of his foot. The ball squirted out of bounds, and all the air left the building. Trey Demps then banged in another Wildcat three-pointer, and the Gophers were cooked. The final score was 72-66.
To his credit, Hollins eventually snapped out of his reverie and finished with a dozen points, but it was too little, too late. Minnesota did mount an 8-3 mini-run to close within four points of the Wildcats, but butchered away all of their gains by next playing like over-medicated old ladies, much to the delight of coach Chris Collins.
“We knew Minnesota would give us three-point chances on kick-outs and coming off screens,” he said, noting that he and his staff studied the Minnesota-Indiana game film.
“We had four freshmen combine for 39 points,” said Collins. Those four, McIntosh, Scottie Lindsey, Vic Law, and Gavin Skelly had a total of nine three-pointers. Overall, the Wildcats had 15 three-point baskets out of 32 shots from that range. “I like coaching these guys,” said Collins.
“They hit a lot of tough threes,” mumbled Pitino. “They’re a better team,” he lied. “I don’t think we overlooked them.”
The coach was asked about starting the inconsistent Charles Buggs and inserting the unreliable Gaston Diedhiou early in the game. “Sure it’s nice to win, but we got to develop these guys,” Pitino said, perhaps revealing future strategy.
Collins’ immediate strategy was “to make Hollins shoot deeper than usual,” and it worked. “Andre was not attacking,” Pitino explained, and it eventually cost Minnesota.
During his press conference, Collins watched the end of the Duke-North Carolina game on the monitor adjacent to the podium. (Collins was a long-time Duke assistant.) He wound up doubly satisfied with his present team and his old one. He could not resist twisting the knife when he spoke of Duke star Tyus Jones. “He’s a Minnesota kid, right?” Yes, another one that got away.