Gophers Pull Out 69-68 Win over Alabama-Birmingham
Wednesday, December 14, 2005

In the first matchup of the teams since the 1998 National Invitation Tournament, the Minnesota Gophers pulled out a 69-68 win at Williams Arena over the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) Blazers.

Demario Eddins, the Blazers’ leading scorer, was conspicuous in many ways for UAB—by his absence for most of the first half, by his play through the second half, and finally for an ill-advised foul he committed with 7.6 seconds left, apparently the result of not being aware of the score.

UAB’s Marvett McDonald had just tied the game with a three-point field goal, but Eddins thought the Blazers were still behind as Minnesota inbounded the ball. As a result, he fouled Maurice Hargrow in the backcourt, leading to a game-winning field goal by the Minnesota senior, who returned to the starting lineup after having missed three games with an ankle sprain.

Hargrow finished as the game’s leading scorer with 20 points even though it wasn’t known until it wasn’t known until earlier in the day if he would be able to play. Minnesota coach Dan Monson said that Hargrow couldn’t push off his foot in practice. “Mo was unbelievable,” Monson said. “He really sucked it up.”

Monson also relied heavily on his senior backcourt of Hargrow, Vincent Grier, and Adam Boone, calling it “a game for experience” against a UAB team known for its defense. This season, UAB opponents had been averaging 23 turnovers per game and the Blazers, who have led the nation in steals for the last three years, had been averaging 12.5 steals per game.

Against Minnesota, however, UAB did not reach its average in either area. The Blazers and eight steals, and the Gophers had 18 turnovers. However, Monson pointed out that UAB scored 15 points off Minnesota turnovers, more than the goal of no more than 10 points off turnovers he had set for his team. He added that it was the trapping, rather than UAB’s pressing, that bothered the Gophers and is why he wanted experience on the perimeter. “They really test your strength with the ball.”

In the early going, Minnesota took care of the ball well, turning it over only once before the first media time out, which came with 13:47 left. The Gophers built a 39-23 lead, but UAB closed the gap on a field-goal by point-guard Carldell “Squeaky” Johnson along with a three-point basket by McDonald in the closing seconds of the first half.

Initially benched for disciplinary reasons for breaking a team rule, Eddins played only the final 1:56 of the first half. However, he was on the floor the entire second half and quickly became a presence. He had two rebounds and a field goal, along with an assist on a three-pointer by Johnson in the opening two minutes. Eddins added another jumper a minute later to bring UAB within four points and followed up with two more assists, the latter an alley-oop pass to Paul Delaney, whose dunk cut the Minnesota lead to 45-43.

UAB coach Mike Anderson said their game plan was to “hang around,” which is what the Blazers did over into the final minute as the Minnesota lead fluctuated between two and seven points. Following a layup by Grier with 36 seconds left, the Gophers were ahead 67-62. However, Johnson cut the margin to two with a three-point basket from the top of the key.

Adam Boone was fouled but made only one of two, and UAB brought the ball downcourt with another chance to tie. That happened when McDonald launched a 25-footer over Stamper from the left wing. Then Eddins fouled Hargrow, sending him to the line for two shots.

Hargrow missed the first but made the second to put Minnesota back in front, 69-68. The Blazers raced back, and Johnson drove into the lane, launching a shot while on the run. The ball hit off the rim and was grabbed by Eddins, who was too far underneath the basket for a chance at a putback. He attempted to kick the ball into the lane, but it was batted away as time run out.

Anderson said he blamed the loss on himself and that it wasn’t just the final foul by Eddins that cost UAB the game, saying that a “combination of plays” hurt the Blazers.