gophers/ncaa
Gophers fall to Michigan; slow start costly again
- Article by: AMELIA RAYNO , Star Tribune
- Updated: January 18, 2013 - 11:52 AM
Minnesota staged a second-half rally against a top-10 team for the second game in a row but couldn't catch Michigan.
- 123
- comments
resize text 
- buy reprints
All season long, coach Tubby Smith has lauded this Gophers team as the one with the most chemistry, the one that's worked the hardest, the one with the most heart in his six seasons at Minnesota.
So when he sat, shaking his head on the podium, after the Gophers' second consecutive loss featuring a ragged start and a not-quite-enough comeback, the confusion and frustration could be heard in his voice.
No. 5 Michigan stopped No. 9 Minnesota 83-75 at Williams Arena on Thursday night -- with the Gophers exhibiting weak defense, poor communication and an apparent half-hearted effort for a considerable stretch -- one day after a puzzling lackluster effort at practice.
"I was disappointed in our practice [Wednesday], to be honest with you, in the defensive effort, especially in our starting group, and it showed today -- it raised its ugly head," Smith said. "There's no reason to panic, but I'm just really disappointed in two games. ... And trying to make a comeback, that's just a -- well, I really don't know what to call it. It's just disappointing."
For the second game in a row, the Gophers (15-3, 3-2 Big Ten) tried to rely on late energy and a final surge to salvage a victory. For the second game in a row, they came up short.
After falling behind by 19 early in the second half, the Gophers pushed within seven at 77-70 on a Rodney Williams dunk with 2:39 to go, erasing a huge deficit as they had in Saturday's 88-81 loss at Indiana.
But once again, to the dismay of the sellout crowd announced at 14,625, the Gophers didn't have enough time -- or poise -- to get the job done, missing some easy baskets and missing seven of their final 16 free throws.
"I think we stopped being aggressive, and once we turned into a passive team, then mistakes happened," said senior forward Trevor Mbakwe, who had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds and five of the Gophers' six blocked shots.
All of the last-minute details were simply a footnote to another poor stretch of play from Minnesota.
The Gophers trailed 29-26 with 4:52 left in the first half after junior guard Austin Hollins -- who was the true highlight of Minnesota's night with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and no turnovers -- made two early three-pointers and a layup, and Julian Welch, playing the bulk of the first half after sophomore point guard Andre Hollins sat out after drawing his second foul with 13:35 remaining in the first half, kept the Gophers afloat with precise shooting.
But a hot Tim Hardaway Jr., who led Michigan (17-1, 4-1) with 21 points and hit four first-half three-pointers, and 10 Gophers turnovers kept Minnesota at bay, and the Wolverines led 36-30 at the break.
The Gophers' lackluster play carried over to the second half, when with Williams all but absent until the final minutes the Gophers fell behind 58-39 with 12:33 to play.
Michigan sophomore point guard Trey Burke (18 points, nine assists) found a way to bruise the Gophers almost every time down the floor, whether it was by driving, shooting or passing for a score.
"We had a lot of miscommunications on defense, a lot of things that don't usually happen to us," Williams said.
The last-minute gritty play and narrowing of the final margin wasn't enough to make up for the Gophers' earlier faults, and it wasn't enough to impress Smith or any of the players who sullenly answered questions afterward.
"At the end of the day, we're right there with those teams and you just take away the little mistakes that we had and it's a whole different ballgame," Andre Hollins said. "But at the same time, you can't be satisfied with our play right now."
- 123
- comments
- resize text
- buy reprints
explore Gophers/college sports
ADVERTISEMENT
| Sacramento | 97 | FINAL |
| Charlotte | 93 |
| San Antonio | 98 | FINAL |
| Atlanta | 93 |
| Golden State | 116 | FINAL |
| New Orleans | 112 |
| Houston | 79 | FINAL |
| Minnesota | 92 |
| Memphis | 85 | FINAL |
| Chicago | 82 |
| Cleveland | 98 | FINAL |
| Utah | 109 |
| Milwaukee | 110 | FINAL |
| Portland | 104 |
| Washington | 87 | FINAL |
| LA Clippers | 94 |
| Pittsburgh | 3 | FINAL |
| Philadelphia | 1 |
| Ottawa | 4 | FINAL |
| Winnipeg | 1 |
| Chicago | 5 | FINAL |
| Los Angeles | 2 |
| NY Rangers | 1 | FINAL |
| Boston | 3 |
| Toronto | 2 | FINAL |
| Montreal | 1 |
| New Jersey | 2 | FINAL |
| NY Islanders | 1 |
| Washington | 3 | FINAL |
| Tampa Bay | 6 |
| Carolina | 1 | FINAL |
| Florida | 5 |
| Detroit | 0 | FINAL |
| St. Louis | 6 |
| Columbus | 3 | FINAL(SO) |
| Nashville | 2 |
| Phoenix | 3 | FINAL |
| Dallas | 4 |
| Colorado | 2 | FINAL |
| Minnesota | 4 |
| Anaheim | 7 | FINAL |
| Vancouver | 3 |
| Va Military | 49 | FINAL |
| Coastal Carolina | 72 |
| St Johns | 71 | FINAL |
| DePaul | 62 |
| Maryland | 52 | FINAL |
| North Carolina | 62 |
| Connecticut | 61 | FINAL |
| Pittsburgh | 69 |
| James Madison | 47 | FINAL |
| Towson | 73 |
| Harvard | 50 | FINAL |
| Memphis | 60 |
| Nebraska | 68 | FINAL |
| Penn State | 64 |
| St Bonaventure | 81 | FINAL |
| Temple | 78 |
| Winthrop | 59 | FINAL |
| Campbell | 63 |
| Vanderbilt | 58 | FINAL |
| South Carolina | 51 |
| Iowa State | 63 | FINAL |
| TCU | 50 |
| Arkansas | 64 | FINAL |
| Ole Miss | 76 |
| Drexel | 59 | FINAL |
| William & Mary | 48 |
| Cleveland State | 50 | FINAL |
| Green Bay | 77 |
| Kansas | 64 | FINAL |
| Texas | 59 |
| La Salle | 63 | FINAL |
| Xavier | 70 |
| Binghamton | 57 | FINAL |
| Maine | 56 |
| Texas Tech | 45 | FINAL |
| Oklahoma State | 79 |
| Tulsa | 72 | FINAL |
| Tulane | 75 |
| Siena | 44 | FINAL |
| Canisius | 76 |
| Missouri State | 66 | FINAL |
| Bradley | 69 |
| Wake Forest | 65 | FINAL |
| Virginia Tech | 66 |
| West Virginia | 52 | FINAL |
| Purdue | 79 |
| Sacred Heart | 75 | FINAL |
| St Francis-PA | 72 |
| Missouri | 52 | FINAL |
| Florida | 83 |
| Northeastern | 74 | FINAL |
| Delaware | 70 |
| Miami-Ohio | 58 | FINAL |
| Eastern Mich | 65 |
| American Univ | 60 | FINAL |
| Holy Cross | 79 |
| Arizona | 71 | FINAL |
| Arizona State | 54 |
| Eastern Ky | 73 | FINAL |
| Jacksonville St | 62 |
| East Tenn St | 70 | FINAL |
| Kennesaw St | 60 |
| Hardin-Simmons | 38 | FINAL |
| Baylor | 107 |
| Columbia | 67 | FINAL |
| Cornell | 58 |
| Manhattan | 60 | FINAL |
| Niagara | 64 |
| Portland State | 76 | FINAL |
| North Dakota | 85 |
| Akron | 71 | FINAL |
| Kent State | 67 |
| South Dakota St | 80 | FINAL |
| IUPUI | 65 |
| Lipscomb | 69 | FINAL |
| Stetson | 85 |
| Mount St Marys | 80 | FINAL |
| Central Conn St | 75 |
| Central Arkansas | 76 | FINAL |
| TX A&M-CC | 67 |
| Syracuse | 70 | FINAL |
| Louisville | 68 |
| Miss State | 57 | FINAL |
| Tennessee | 72 |
| Oregon | 76 | FINAL |
| UCLA | 67 |
| Villanova | 66 | FINAL |
| Providence | 69 |
| SMU | 54 | FINAL |
| Texas-El Paso | 63 |
| Wagner | 59 | FINAL |
| Bryant | 82 |
| Howard | 37 | FINAL |
| NC A&T | 61 |
| Lamar | 50 | FINAL |
| McNeese State | 74 |
| Florida State | 36 | FINAL |
| Virginia | 56 |
| Boise State | 80 | FINAL |
| Air Force | 91 |
| George Washington | 79 | FINAL |
| Massachusetts | 76 |
| Creighton | 64 | FINAL |
| Wichita State | 67 |
| Oklahoma | 60 | FINAL |
| Kansas State | 69 |
| SE Louisiana | 68 | FINAL |
| Northwestern St | 103 |
| Delaware State | 53 | FINAL |
| MD-Eastern Shore | 58 |
| USC Upstate | 74 | FINAL |
| Mercer | 82 |
| Boston Univ | 69 | FINAL |
| New Hampshire | 59 |
| California | 59 | FINAL |
| Stanford | 69 |
| Fair-Dickinson | 51 | FINAL |
| St Francis-NY | 70 |
| Monmouth | 65 | FINAL |
| Long Island | 75 |
| Loyola Marymount | 53 | FINAL |
| San Francisco | 62 |
| Longwood | 65 | FINAL |
| UNC-Asheville | 68 |
| Oral Roberts | 65 | FINAL |
| Sam Houston St | 61 |
| Texas State | 81 | FINAL |
| TX-San Antonio | 78 |
| Penn | 59 | FINAL |
| Saint Josephs | 79 |
| Hofstra | 46 | FINAL |
| George Mason | 57 |
| Northern Ky | 54 | FINAL |
| Fla Gulf Coast | 73 |
| High Point | 75 | FINAL |
| Char Southern | 83 |
| Georgetown | 58 | FINAL |
| South Florida | 61 |
| Coppin State | 68 | FINAL |
| Norfolk State | 75 |
| Florida A&M | 55 | FINAL |
| Savannah State | 57 |
| UCF | 79 | FINAL |
| Houston | 75 |
| Charlotte | 61 | FINAL |
| Richmond | 81 |
| UAB | 59 | FINAL |
| Southern Miss | 74 |
| Bethune-Cookman | 60 | FINAL |
| SC State | 52 |
| Ark-Little Rock | 59 | FINAL |
| Western Ky | 54 |
| Ohio State | 56 | FINAL |
| Michigan State | 59 |
| Houston Baptist | 56 | FINAL |
| Chicago State | 81 |
| Texas A&M | 49 | FINAL |
| Alabama | 50 |
| Toledo | 67 | FINAL |
| Ohio | 76 |
| South Dakota | 97 | FINAL |
| Oakland | 78 |
| Utah State | 57 | FINAL |
| Denver | 68 |
| Southern U | 79 | FINAL |
| Alabama State | 67 |
| Morgan State | 80 | FINAL |
| Hampton | 78 |
| Ill-Chicago | 47 | FINAL |
| Detroit | 98 |
| Louisiana | 60 | FINAL |
| Middle Tennessee | 82 |
| Alcorn State | 69 | FINAL |
| Alabama A&M | 59 |
| Jackson State | 57 | FINAL |
| Grambling St | 46 |
| Morehead State | 88 | FINAL |
| Tenn-Martin | 74 |
| Liberty | 60 | FINAL |
| Presbyterian | 68 |
| Lafayette | 51 | FINAL |
| Bucknell | 66 |
| Albany | 56 | FINAL |
| Hartford | 46 |
| Ball State | 57 | FINAL |
| Central Mich | 71 |
| Citadel | 70 | FINAL |
| Ga Southern | 55 |
| Coll of Charleston | 68 | FINAL |
| Davidson | 77 |
| East Carolina | 56 | FINAL |
| Marshall | 77 |
| Georgia State | 69 | FINAL |
| Old Dominion | 54 |
| Colgate | 45 | FINAL |
| Lehigh | 60 |
| Western Carolina | 90 | FINAL |
| Chattanooga | 81 |
| Saint Peters | 48 | FINAL |
| Marist | 59 |
| VA Commonwealth | 90 | FINAL |
| Duquesne | 63 |
| Marquette | 69 | FINAL |
| Cincinnati | 71 |
| UMKC | 63 | FINAL |
| IUPU-Ft Wayne | 59 |
| UNLV | 61 | FINAL |
| Colorado State | 66 |
| Nicholls | 49 | FINAL |
| Stephen F Austin | 72 |
| North Texas | 61 | FINAL |
| Fla Atlantic | 59 |
| Wofford | 61 | FINAL |
| Elon | 68 |
| Prairie View | 64 | FINAL |
| Miss Valley St | 73 |
| Quinnipiac | 75 | FINAL |
| Robert Morris | 87 |
| Radford | 52 | FINAL |
| Gardner-Webb | 51 |
| Yale | 51 | FINAL |
| Brown | 65 |
| Cal Poly | 81 | FINAL |
| UC Santa Barbara | 83 |
| Bowling Green | 65 | FINAL |
| Buffalo | 68 |
| San Diego St | 45 | FINAL |
| Wyoming | 58 |
| Troy | 55 | FINAL |
| FIU | 61 |
| Tennessee St | 66 | FINAL |
| Belmont | 78 |
| Tenn Tech | 62 | FINAL |
| SE Missouri St | 74 |
| Western Mich | 71 | FINAL |
| Northern Ill | 34 |
| Youngstown St | 75 | FINAL |
| Milwaukee | 72 |
| Rhode Island | 82 | FINAL |
| Saint Louis | 80 |
| Rutgers | 66 | FINAL |
| Notre Dame | 69 |
| Utah Valley U | 60 | FINAL |
| TX-Pan American | 62 |
| New Orleans | 71 | FINAL |
| Rice | 95 |
| Oregon State | 68 | FINAL |
| USC | 69 |
| Seattle | 71 | FINAL |
| Louisiana Tech | 78 |
| North Dakota St | 42 | FINAL |
| Western Ill | 50 |
| LSU | 58 | FINAL |
| Georgia | 67 |
| Appalachian St | 68 | FINAL |
| Samford | 72 |
| Idaho | 77 | FINAL |
| Texas-Arlington | 64 |
| Evansville | 62 | FINAL |
| Indiana State | 72 |
| Wright State | 63 | FINAL |
| Valparaiso | 69 |
| ULM | 39 | FINAL |
| Arkansas State | 63 |
| Wisconsin | 66 | FINAL |
| Iowa | 70 |
| Texas Southern | 63 | FINAL |
| Ark-Pine Bluff | 66 |
| SIU Edwardsville | 61 | FINAL |
| Murray State | 70 |
| Eastern Ill | 77 | FINAL |
| Austin Peay | 67 |
| Gonzaga | 63 | FINAL |
| Butler | 64 |
| Montana State | 71 | FINAL |
| Montana | 76 |
| Kentucky | 75 | FINAL |
| Auburn | 53 |
| San Jose St | 53 | FINAL |
| New Mexico St | 70 |
| San Diego | 57 | FINAL |
| BYU | 74 |
| Sacramento St | 56 | FINAL |
| Weber State | 65 |
| Northern Ariz | 60 | FINAL |
| Idaho State | 55 |
| Long Beach State | 81 | FINAL |
| Cal State Fullerton | 71 |
| Eastern Wash | 56 | FINAL |
| Northern Colorado | 72 |
| UC Irvine | 58 | FINAL |
| UC Riverside | 68 |
| Colorado | 58 | FINAL |
| Washington St | 49 |
| Nevada | 68 | FINAL |
| Fresno State | 61 |
| Santa Clara | 83 | FINAL |
| Pepperdine | 76 |
| Nebraska Omaha | 79 | FINAL |
| CS-Bakersfield | 84 |
| Pacific | 74 | FINAL |
| CS-Northridge | 62 |
| St Marys-CA | 60 | FINAL |
| Portland | 38 |
| Utah | 74 | FINAL |
| Washington | 65 |
| UC Davis | 68 | 2nd Half 11:52 |
| Hawaii | 55 |
| Stars | 3 | FINAL |
| Stripes | 31 |
| Shrine-East | 13 | FINAL |
| Shrine-West | 28 |
| American | 0 | FINAL |
| National | 34 |
| Senior-North | 1/26/13 3:00 PM |
| Senior-South |
| Sacred Heart | 71 | FINAL |
| St Francis-PA | 50 |
| Kent State | 44 | FINAL |
| Ball State | 59 |
| Columbia | 54 | FINAL |
| Cornell | 68 |
| Presbyterian | 50 | FINAL |
| Winthrop | 78 |
| Mount St Marys | 86 | FINAL |
| Bryant | 84 |
| Wagner | 53 | FINAL |
| Central Conn St | 82 |
| Massachusetts | 49 | FINAL |
| St Bonaventure | 61 |
| Lipscomb | 51 | FINAL |
| Stetson | 92 |
| Central Arkansas | 55 | FINAL |
| TX A&M-CC | 40 |
| Drake | 77 | FINAL |
| Missouri State | 80 |
| Holy Cross | 62 | FINAL |
| American Univ | 67 |
| Buffalo | 44 | FINAL |
| Toledo | 59 |
| Northern Ill | 56 | FINAL |
| Central Michigan | 83 |
| Akron | 77 | FINAL |
| Western Mich | 84 |
| Coastal Carolina | 63 | FINAL |
| Longwood | 77 |
| Gardner-Webb | 58 | FINAL |
| UNC-Asheville | 45 |
| USC Upstate | 55 | FINAL |
| Mercer | 72 |
| South Florida | 49 | FINAL |
| Villanova | 52 |
| Campbell | 58 | FINAL |
| Liberty | 65 |
| Seton Hall | 50 | FINAL |
| Georgetown | 70 |
| Milwaukee | 63 | FINAL |
| Cleveland State | 60 |
| Hartford | 48 | FINAL |
| Albany | 55 |
| Boston U | 55 | FINAL |
| New Hampshire | 53 |
| Jacksonville | 63 | FINAL |
| North Florida | 66 |
| Lamar | 57 | FINAL |
| McNeese State | 53 |
| Vermont | 53 | FINAL |
| Stony Brook | 68 |
| Bucknell | 50 | FINAL |
| Lafayette | 49 |
| Delaware State | 72 | FINAL |
| MD-Eastern Shore | 63 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson | 56 | FINAL |
| St Francis-NY | 64 |
| Monmouth | 63 | FINAL |
| Long Island | 62 |
| Howard | 44 | FINAL |
| NC A&T | 42 |
| SE Louisiana | 55 | FINAL |
| Northwestern St | 64 |
| Nebraska Omaha | 83 | FINAL |
| Indiana Dabney | 39 |
| Evansville | 55 | FINAL |
| Indiana State | 54 |
| Oral Roberts | 47 | FINAL |
| Sam Houston St | 54 |
| IUPU-Ft Wayne | 59 | FINAL |
| UMKC | 77 |
| Ark-Little Rock | 61 | FINAL |
| Western Ky | 70 |
| Oakland | 49 | FINAL |
| South Dakota | 64 |
| North Texas | 67 | FINAL |
| Florida Atlantic | 79 |
| Charleston Southern | 60 | FINAL |
| Radford | 71 |
| Texas | 56 | FINAL |
| (16) Oklahoma | 69 |
| Wright State | 67 | FINAL |
| Loyola-Chicago | 56 |
| Marquette | 74 | FINAL |
| Pittsburgh | 65 |
| TX-San Antonio | 56 | FINAL |
| Texas State | 46 |
| Louisiana | 36 | FINAL |
| Middle Tennessee | 72 |
| Alcorn State | 44 | FINAL |
| Alabama A&M | 64 |
| Southern U | 57 | FINAL |
| Alabama State | 44 |
| Jackson State | 61 | FINAL |
| Grambling | 54 |
| Prairie View | 57 | FINAL |
| Miss Valley St | 65 |
| Valparaiso | 75 | FINAL |
| Illinois-Chicago | 82 |
| Syracuse | 62 | FINAL |
| (3) Connecticut | 87 |
| Brown | 68 | FINAL |
| Yale | 67 |
| Air Force | 65 | FINAL |
| Boise State | 66 |
| Lehigh | 70 | FINAL |
| Colgate | 62 |
| Bethune-Cookman | 39 | FINAL |
| SC State | 58 |
| Coppin State | 56 | FINAL |
| Norfolk State | 51 |
| Quinnipiac | 61 | FINAL |
| Robert Morris | 52 |
| Morgan State | 60 | FINAL |
| Hampton | 66 |
| Florida A&M | 59 | FINAL |
| Savannah State | 49 |
| IUPUI | 57 | FINAL |
| South Dakota St | 56 |
| Gonzaga | 62 | FINAL |
| San Diego | 50 |
| Portland | 63 | FINAL |
| Loyola Marymount | 59 |
| Pepperdine | 61 | FINAL |
| St Marys-CA | 72 |
| Nicholls | 66 | FINAL |
| Stephen F Austin | 74 |
| Utah Valley U | 65 | FINAL |
| CS-Bakersfield | 67 |
| Hawaii | 71 | FINAL |
| UC Davis | 63 |
| Wyoming | 43 | FINAL |
| San Diego State | 66 |
| Weber State | 60 | FINAL |
| Sacramento St | 103 |
| North Dakota | 66 | FINAL |
| Portland State | 73 |
| Montana State | 58 | FINAL |
| Montana | 49 |
| Eastern Kentucky | 69 | FINAL |
| Jacksonville St | 51 |
| Morehead St | 56 | FINAL |
| Tenn-Martin | 75 |
| New Mexico St | 50 | FINAL |
| San Jose St | 51 |
| San Francisco | 48 | FINAL |
| Santa Clara | 61 |
| Northern Colorado | 38 | FINAL |
| Eastern Washington | 63 |
| Southern Ill | 41 | FINAL |
| Illinois State | 89 |
| Houston Baptist | 45 | FINAL |
| TX-Pan American | 71 |
| East Tenn St | 61 | FINAL |
| Kennesaw St | 59 |
| Troy | 76 | FINAL |
| FIU | 82 |
| SIU-Edwardsville | 68 | FINAL |
| Murray State | 81 |
| Tennessee St | 54 | FINAL |
| Belmont | 66 |
| Texas Southern | 65 | FINAL |
| Ark-Pine Bluff | 61 |
| Eastern Illinois | 68 | FINAL |
| Austin Peay | 43 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 47 | FINAL |
| Cal Poly | 66 |
| UC-Riverside | 68 | FINAL |
| Cal-Irvine | 67 |
| Fresno State | 74 | FINAL |
| Nevada | 56 |
| CS-Northridge | 51 | FINAL |
| Pacific | 60 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 39 | FINAL |
| Long Beach St | 45 |
| Green Bay | 59 | FINAL |
| Youngstown St | 41 |
| Northern Ky | 50 | FINAL |
| Fla Gulf Coast | 79 |
| Providence | 67 | FINAL |
| DePaul | 79 |
| (23) Kansas | 63 | FINAL |
| Texas Tech | 70 |
| Kansas State | 57 | FINAL |
| TCU | 54 |
| West Virginia | 58 | FINAL |
| (1) Baylor | 76 |
| Western Ill | 85 | FINAL |
| No Dakota State | 83 |
| Creighton | 45 | FINAL |
| Wichita State | 67 |
| NJIT | 57 | FINAL |
| Chicago State | 58 |
| Idaho State | 52 | FINAL |
| Northern Ariz | 48 |
| TX-Arlington | 52 | FINAL |
| Idaho | 70 |
| Denver | 69 | FINAL |
| Utah State | 85 |
| Louisiana Tech | 47 | FINAL |
| Seattle | 64 |
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
inside the StarTribune
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2013 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters