University of Minnesota Athletics
GOLDEN GOPHERS HAMMER MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE 95-48
12/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Five players scored in double figures to lead Minnesota (6-3) to a convincing 95-48 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore (4-6) this evening at Williams Arena. The Golden Gophers' 47-point win is the third-largest in school history.
The Golden Gophers never trailed in the game, taking a 45-24 lead at the half. Travarus Bennett led Minnesota with 11 points in the half as the Gophers shot 58.6 percent from the field, including 6-of-9 from three-point range.
Minnesota went on a 44-9 run to start the second half, taking a 92-33 lead with over seven minutes remaining in the game. Minnesota scored 23 unanswered points starting at the 1:19 mark of the first half. The Hawks finished the game on a 15-3 run to close the final margin.
Dusty Rychart posted his third double-double of the season with a game-high 17 points and 10 rebounds. Bennett finished with 16 points, while Michael Bauer and Jerry Holman added 15 apiece. Steve Esselink pitched in a career-high 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting. Kevin Burleson added a game-high eight assists.
Minnesota limited Maryland-Eastern Shore to an opponent season-low 31.65 percent shooting in the game and outrebounded the Hawks 42-29. UMES was led by Justin Bowen with 10 points while Thomas Trotter added nine points.
Minnesota plays its final non-conference home game on Dec. 22 against Nebraska at Williams Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
Post-Game Notes
Minnesota 95, Maryland-Eastern Shore 48
December 13, 2001
Williams Arena
Minneapolis, Minn.
Minnesota's 47-point win is the third-largest margin of victory in school history, and the largest since the Golden Gophers defeated South Dakota State 78-25 (12/3/45) [including vacated games, it is the sixth-largest].
95 points is the most Minnesota has scored since defeating TCU 107-99 on Nov. 25, 2000. It is also the second-best point total by Minnesota under Monson.
Maryland-Eastern Shore's 31.6 percent field goal percentage is lowest by a Minnesota opponent in the Dan Monson era.
Minnesota's 55.6 percent field goal percentage is a season-high and ties the season and ties the season-best from the 2000-01 season (TCU, 11/25/00).
Minnesota's 45 points in the first half are the most it has scored in the first half this season.
Minnesota's 21-point lead at the half is its second-largest halftime lead this year (Mercer-22 points).
Minnesota went on a 15-0 run from 8:13-4:42 in the first half.
Minnesota had four different players in double-figure scoring with 17:54 to go in the second half.
UMES scored its first points of the second half with 15:32 to go.
Minnesota held UMES without a field goal from 12:51 until 4:06 in the second half.
Minnesota began the second half on a 19-0 scoring run.
Minnesota scored 23 unanswered points from the 1:19 mark in the first half.
Minnesota went on a 14-0 run from 12:12-6:26 in the second half.
Steve Esselink's 12 points scored is a new career-high.
Esselink's 14 minutes ties a career-high (Georgia 12/7).
Dusty Rychart scored in double figures for the sixth straight game and the seventh time this season. He has notched double figures for the 54th time in his career.
Rychart's 17 points and 10 rebounds mark the third time this season he has recorded a double-double, and the 17th time in his career.
Minnesota's 50 points in the second half is the most points scored in a half this season since its 56 second-half points versus UNC-Asheville (11/21).
Minnesota is 5-0 when attempting more free throws than its opponent.
Travarus Bennett scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and the ninth time in his career.
Michael Bauer's three steals is a career-high.
Bauer's three assists ties a season-high (UNC-Asheville).
Jerry Holman's 26 minutes ties a career-high (Wake Forest 11/27).
Holman's eight rebounds and two assists are career-highs.
GOLDEN GOPHER BASKETBALL
POST-GAME QUOTES
December 13, 2001
Minnesota 95, Maryland Eastern Shore 48
Williams Arena
Minneapolis, Minn.
Attendance: 12,155
Dan Monson - Head Coach for Minnesota
"I tell our guys constantly that it's been a struggle to measure ourselves on how we play individually, and not on how your opponent plays. Today I felt that we did not play down to their level and we played good basketball. They are starting to understand that no matter who our opponent is, they have to keep giving their best effort on the floor."
"We shot the ball very well tonight, we made the extra passes and found the open guy for the easy shots. I thought some of our big guys missed some shots in the lane that they don't normally miss. But when they got collapsed on, they kicked it out and found the open shooters."
"We got going today with our defense and our rebounding. It really helped us get into a flow, something this team has had trouble doing. I told the guys at half time that if we could hold them to 24 points in the second half, I would be pleased with their effort - and we did exactly that."
Michael Bauer:
"I've been expecting us to play like this all year. It's all coming together for us now. It's good for us at this point of the season to put it all together."
"We had a goal of keeping them below 50 points tonight. We did just that; we met that goal and met every goal of ours tonight. It was definitely the best game we've played so far this year. We put 40 good minutes together. It's the best full game that I've seen since I've been here."
Steve Esselink:
"We're coming closer as a team and improving on our team production. It was great to see everyone involved tonight, and getting everyone together to play team basketball."
Travarus Bennett:
"I think tonight's win is a confidence booster. We have been struggling as a team, but we all made some shots tonight."
"It seems like in the second half we have been letting teams back in and making games out of it. Tonight we came out, we stayed together, and we tried to build off of a good first half."
