University of Minnesota Athletics
MBB: Spartans Drop Gophers 69-55
1/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Michigan State shot just 44 percent from the floor but free throw shooting was the difference in the game. Michigan State, the nation's top free throw shooting team, made 26-of-28 from the line while the Gophers missed several opportunities to slim the lead and were just 14-of-24 from the stripe, including a 4-of-8 effort in the second half.
Trailing by 10 in the second half, the Gophers held Michigan State without a field goal for almost nine minutes but couldn't make a significant dent in the deficit. Shannon Brown made a driving layup to put MSU up 44-36 and then made two free throws with 18:04 on the clock to lead by 10. Jeff Hagen knocked in a layp and Vincent Grier made a fade away jumper to pull the Gophers within six at 46-40. The Spartans built the lead back to nine but Brent Lawson hit one of his three three- pointers to pull Minnesota back within three with 8:22 left. The Gophers failed to get any closer the remainder of the game and the Spartans were deadly from the line down the stretch.
Minnesota led 10-4 early after Spencer Tollackson made a layup. The Spartans followed with a 9-0 run to take a 13-10 lead and the Gophers were never led again. Brown hit a three with over five minutes remaining the half to put the Spartans up by four at 20-16 but Rico Tucker answered with a three, pulling Minnesota within one.
Michigan State went up seven with 3:19 on the clock but the Gophers kept chipping away and Aaron Robinson hit one of his three treys to pull Minnesota to 37-34 with 54 seconds left in the half. Maurice Ager tipped in his own miss with 39 seconds left and Michigan State owned a 39-34 halftime lead.
Hagen led Minnesota with 16 points and six rebounds despite playing on a sprained knee. Robinson added 12 points while Lawson and Grier each scored 10. Alan Anderson led Michigan State with 13 and seven rebounds while Ager and Brown scored 12 apiece.
Minnesota hosts Indiana on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Minnesota guard Brent Lawson
"It always hurts when you lose but that's the one good thing about this team. We are not losing (our confidence) and we are going to come out ready to play. They are a high- caliber team and we thought we were ready to play but we weren't quite ready yet."
"Free throws shot a lot about concentration. Before the Ohio State game, we all shot free throws at 85 percent as a team and it carried over into the game. Today, is we would have made our free throws, we would have been in position to win. When Michigan State comes out and shoots 93 percent, it shows that they are ready to win."
"(Hagen) is a warrior. It's our senior year and last time through. He's sucking it up like he has to. We needed to him. He's our big fella and he only has a couple of more times on the floor and he's got to take advantage of it."
Minnesota guard Aaron Robinson
"It hurts because we know that only one or two possessions that we could have made on the offensive or defensive end could have turned the whole game around but I still have my head held high because it was only one game and we just have to work harder."
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo
"The way this week has gone, this was a big win for us. They're not the same team without the big fella. You've got to give Number 42 credit for even playing. It's a very good basketball team that we beat. That was a strange game. The big key for us was to stop Vincent Grier. We sort pf played the Jordan rule. Every time he touched the ball, we had six eyes on him. I think we did a good job of taking away his penetration. I told Dan before the game that they're a fun team to watch and I wish I could watch them instead of coach against them. I'm so proud of Alan Anderson as a senior coming through and stepping up."
"It's a heroic deal. I admire people like that. He sucked it up for his team. He is one of the more improved players in the conference, if not the most-improved. He's hurt and he scored on us. I'd hate to see what he would do to us if he was healthy. Hopefully, he'll get healthy quick. That will determine where they go. They are going to beat a lot of people up here."
"I've never seen a player in this league with such acceleration. Like I sad before, we had six eyes on (Grier) at all times. You can't give him any room because he's so explosive and to top it off, he's so unselfish, that's what makes them fun to watch."
Minnesota head coach Dan Monson
"I think we are a team of progression. We have to take each game one at a time and then move on to the next. As far as our schedule goes, Michigan State is the best team we have played so far. I don't think we were ready for them. The more experienced team won today but my experienced guys were tough. They stepped it up. Lawson, Robinson and Hagen have been in these situations before and they played so well. They did a great job on Vincent Grier. I told them before the game, they wanted to pack it in. We didn't counter their defense. I've told you guys this before, we have a really small margin for error and we used it up today."
"I felt good about Hagen in shoot-around today. He told me it's not great when I run. I said "Hags, that's never been your strength. You look the same to me." That was a great performance by a senior, a competitor and then that kid re-sprained his ankle. (The training staff) told me to play him in short spurts. I thought 26 minutes was short enough."
"They were tough on Vince. They gave him a step every time and they always had guys on both sides of him. We missed key shots tonight and they made Vince try to beat them with the pass, which doesn't work if you are not hitting shots. I feel that is the first team this season that has the same athleticism as us on the perimeter. To top that off, they are probably the most-experienced team in the league."
POST-GAME NOTES
Minnesota now leads the all-time series 55-50. MSU has won 11 of the past 14 meetings. Minnesota leads the series 34-18 at Williams Arena.
Three of Minnesota's five losses this season have come against ranked teams. The Gophers are 0-3 against ranked teams this year and 7-23 under head coach Dan Monson.
Michigan State's 39 first half points were the most given up by Minnesota in a half this season.
Jeff Hagen has scored in double figures 17 times in his career and 12 times this season.
Hagen scored his 500th career point in the first half.
Aaron Robinson scored in double figures for the 10th time in his career and the seventh time this season.
Robinson has made at least three three-pointers seven times this season. He has also recorded at least four steals four times this year.
Over the last nine games, Robinson is shooting 25-of-49 from three- point range (51 percent).
Brent Lawson scored in double figures for the fifth time this season and for his career.
Vincent Grier scored in double figures for the 17th time in 18 games this season.
Minnesota's field goal percentage of 34.7 percent was its second- lowest of the season.
The 14-point loss is the largest for Minnesota this season. The -15 rebounding margin was also the largest of the season.
