University of Minnesota Athletics
MINNESOTA WINS FIRST BIG TEN ROAD GAME IN TWO YEARS
2/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
66The proverbial monkey is off the backs of the University of Minnesota basketball team and head coach Dan Monson. The Golden Gophers (16-7, 4-6) won their first Big Ten road game in two years with a 66-59 win over Northwestern in Evanston, Ill. The last Golden Gopher road win was also over Northwestern in 1999.
Northwestern came out of the lockerroom ready to play and went on an 11-2 run the first four minutes of the game. A somber and scary moment turned the momentum to the Golden Gophers however and allowed them to go on a run of their own.
Senior captain John- Blair Bickerstaff went down with 17:18 to go in the first half, reinjuring the leg he broke last season. Minnesota used Bickerstaff's injury as inspiration and went on a run of their own. The Gophers went on a 14-5 run over the next 5.5 minutes to take their first lead of the game at 16-15. Travarus Bennett led the Minnesota charge, after replacing Bickerstaff in the lineup and finished as the game's leading scorer with 16 points.
Their were six lead changes and two ties in the first half, but the Golden Gophers ended the half on top 33-28.
The Golden Gophers were able to keep their lead through the entire second half, although the Wildcats got close several times. Minnesota's hot three-point shooting kept them in the lead. Sophomore's Shane Schilling and Kevin Burleson each made three three-pointers in the game. Minnesota's largest lead of the game, 10 points, came with three minutes remaining. The Gophers finished with the seven point win, 66-59.
In addition to Bennett's 16 points and 11 rebounds, two other Golden Gophers scored in double figures. Dusty Rychart scored 14 and Schilling added 11. Minnesota's bench was responsible for 22 of the team's points. The Golden Gophers will face Michigan State Saturday at 7 p.m. in Williams Arena.
Box Score
Northwestern came out of the lockerroom ready to play and went on an 11-2 run the first four minutes of the game. A somber and scary moment turned the momentum to the Golden Gophers however and allowed them to go on a run of their own.
Senior captain John- Blair Bickerstaff went down with 17:18 to go in the first half, reinjuring the leg he broke last season. Minnesota used Bickerstaff's injury as inspiration and went on a run of their own. The Gophers went on a 14-5 run over the next 5.5 minutes to take their first lead of the game at 16-15. Travarus Bennett led the Minnesota charge, after replacing Bickerstaff in the lineup and finished as the game's leading scorer with 16 points.
Their were six lead changes and two ties in the first half, but the Golden Gophers ended the half on top 33-28.
The Golden Gophers were able to keep their lead through the entire second half, although the Wildcats got close several times. Minnesota's hot three-point shooting kept them in the lead. Sophomore's Shane Schilling and Kevin Burleson each made three three-pointers in the game. Minnesota's largest lead of the game, 10 points, came with three minutes remaining. The Gophers finished with the seven point win, 66-59.
In addition to Bennett's 16 points and 11 rebounds, two other Golden Gophers scored in double figures. Dusty Rychart scored 14 and Schilling added 11. Minnesota's bench was responsible for 22 of the team's points. The Golden Gophers will face Michigan State Saturday at 7 p.m. in Williams Arena.
Box Score
Players Mentioned
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