Penn State Beats Gophers 66-63
March 6, 2011

Jeff Brooks hit a three-pointer from the top of the key with 56.9 seconds left to break a tie and put Penn State ahead to stay as the Nittany Lions beat the Minnesota Gophers 66-63. The Gophers closed out their regular season with their fifth straight loss at home and their 9 in their last 10 games to drop their Big Ten record to 6-12.

With strong rebounding in the first half the Gophers took a 14-6 lead before Penn State started an 11-point run against the Minnesota reserves. From then on, the Nittany Lions controlled the game, getting strong play from guards Tim Frazier and Talor Battle as well as Brooks, who scored 20 in the game.

The Lions controlled the boards in the second half and finished with a 31-28 rebounding edge in the game. “We got back into it with some offensive rebounds and second shots,” said Penn State coach Ed DeChellis.

Battle, who led both teams with 22 points, hurled a pair of air balls on back-to-back three-point attempts in the second half, bringing chants of “Air Ball” from the student section every time he touched the ball. Battle missed a shorter shot with the game tied and 2 minutes left, but David Jackson rebounded and was fouled. Jackson made both free throws for a 56-54 Penn State lead. DeChellis commented on the strong free-throw shooting throughout the season, and the Lions made all 12 of their shots from the line, including four during a flurry of scoring at the end of the game.

Blake Hoffarber, playing in his 131st game to set a new Minnesota, tied the score with a layup while getting fouled. He made the free throw to put the Gophers up by a point. Amid the “air ball” chants, Battle sank a three-pointer for a 58-56 Penn State lead. Hoffarber’s short jumper tied the game again before Brooks hit his three-pointer.

At the other end, Rodney Williams drew a foul and made his first free throw to pull Minnesota within 62-60. Williams missed the second shot, but the ball caromed out of bounds off Penn State. The Gopherscalled a time out with 46.4 seconds left only to have center Ralph Sampson try a three-pointer with 20 seconds left on the shot clock. The ball was well short and went out of bounds, leaving Minnesota with its only option to foul.

Frazier, shooting one-and-one, made both for a four-point lead, but Hoffarber connected on a three-pointer to bring the Gophers within one. Battle went to the line for a one-and-one with 10.5 seconds left and made both for a 66-63 lead.

The Gophers still had a chance to tie, but Hoffarber’s three-point attempt came up short and was rebounded by Andrew Jones, who held on as time ran out.”

“They made the big shots, and we didn’t,” said Minnesota coach Tubby Smith. “That’s been our problem with every loss, but we haven’t been a team to make the clutch shots all season long.

Minnesota was only 2-for-15 in 3-point attempts, both coming from Hoffarber. Frazier and Battle did a good job in defending Hoffarber, switching off as the Gophers tried to free Hoffarber with a screen.

The Gophers finished in ninth place in the 11-team Big Ten, ahead of only Indiana and Iowa, and will face Northwestern Thursday in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament.