University of Minnesota Athletics
NORTHWESTERN UPSETS #17 GOLDEN GOPHERS 58-55
1/6/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Northwestern's Sean Wink hit consecutive three-pointers just eight minutes in the game to put the Wildcats up 11-8. Northwestern would not trail again.
After leading 25-20 at the half, Northwestern pulled away in the second half and led by as many as 13. The Golden Gophers rallied late behind Lewis. Trailing 56- 47 with less than five minutes to play, Lewis hit two free throws and then stole the ball and laid it in to pull the Gophers to within five.
Freshman Joel Przybilla was then fouled on the ensuing possession and hit both free throws to make it 56-53. After Miles Tarver stole the ball in the front court, Kevin Clark laid it in on the break to make it a one point game with 1:12 to play.
After a Wildcat timeout, Eschmeyer was fouled by Przybilla under the basket and the Wildcat hit both free throws to make it 58-55. With the foul, Przybilla fouled out.
The Golden Gophers had the ball with 49 seconds to play, but failed to get a shot off and was forced to call a timeout with four seconds on the shot clock and 17 to play in the game.
Clark took the pass in the corner and launched a three that missed and was rebounded by Northwestern's David Newman. Newman dribbled out and his attempted cross court pass flew over Eschmeyer's head and out of bounds with eight seconds to play.
Lewis took the ball in the corner but his shot missed. Terrance Simmons ended up with the ball at the top of the key, but his desparation shot from 24 feet did not connect and the ball was swatted back to center court as time ran out.
Besides Lewis' 19, Clark finished 14 points as Minnesota shot just 29.6 percent from the field. Facing Eschmeyer, a six-year center, Przybilla finished with five points, seven rebounds and five blocks before fouling out.
Minnesota faces center Calvin Booth and the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN2.
