University of Minnesota Athletics
MINNESOTA LOSES IN FINAL SECONDS
1/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Michigan Wolverines were able to steal a 71-69 victory over Minnesota, Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor, Mich., as Bernard Robinson Jr. hit a running jumper with 3.3 seconds remaining for the win. It was the first loss for the Golden Gophers in their last four meetings with Michigan, as Minnesota fell to 10-7 overall and 3-3 in the Big Ten Conference.
Minnesota hit seven consecutive shots, capped by three-pointers by Rick Rickert and Kerwin Fleming, to take a 48-45 lead with 11:50 to go in the second half. The Golden Gophers continued on a 12-2 run to extend their lead to ten points, but Michigan continued to fight back.
With just over four minutes to play, Michigan's leading scorer, LaVell Blanchard fouled out after scoring a game-high 20 points with Minnesota holding a 59-55 lead. Two minutes later, Wolverine freshman guard Avery Queen drilled a three-pointer to get Michigan within one, 65-64.
Minnesota senior Dusty Rychart then calmly stepped to the charity stripe and hit his only two free throw attempts of the game to put the Golden Gophers ahead, 67-64. But another Michigan freshman guard, Commanic Ingerson, hit a three-pointer to tie the game.
After Michigan (7-8, 3-3) took the lead on a Chris Young basket, Minnesota's Kevin Burleson responded by hitting a leaning jumper to tie the game at 69 with 7.5 seconds, prior to Robinson's game-winner.
Minnesota was led by its front line, which accounted for 75 percent of the team's scoring. Sophomore Michael Bauer led the Gophers in scoring for the fifth time this season, with 17 points. Rickert scored 15 points, while Rychart added 14 and nine rebounds, just missing his fifth double-double of the season.
The Golden Gophers started the game quickly, scoring nine of the game's first 11 points (six by Rickert), but both teams struggled during a sloppy first half. Minnesota took a 29-28 lead into intermission, as the two squads combined to shoot just 32 percent from the field and commit 16 turnovers. Michigan's first basket did not come until nearly six minutes had passed in the game.
With Minnesota leading 11-4, the Wolverines went on a 10-0 run, which was ended by a Rychart jumper with 9:24 left in the stanza. The Golden Gophers retook the lead as Maurice Hargrow came off the bench to provide a spark. The freshman from St. Paul drilled a three pointer and added a pair of free throws to give Minnesota an 18-14 lead with 8:45 to go in the half.
Minnesota returns home next Saturday to host Ohio State in Williams Arena at 3:30 p.m., following three consecutive road games. The Buckeyes will come into the game undefeated in the conference and in first place after their 73-67 win over Indiana. The game can be seen locally on KSTC-Channel 45.
