University of Minnesota Athletics
MBB: Gophers Fall At Indiana, 71-56
2/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Despite a combined 41 points from Jeff Hagen and Vincent Grier, Minnesota lost to Indiana 71-56 this afternoon at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. The Hoosiers used a 10-0 run to begin the second half to break open a close game. Minnesota endured a poor shooting performance, firing a season-low 32 percent from the field. The Gophers fell to 16-8, 6-5 in the Big Ten and lost consecutive games for the first time since November. Indiana moved past the Gophers by a half-game into fourth place in the Big Ten at 11-10, 6-4 in conference action.
After Indiana led by as many as 11 in the first half, the Gophers fought back to within two at halftime, 29-27. However, the Hoosiers quickly killed the momentum to start the second half, going on a 10-0 run to lead 39-27 with 15 minutes on the clock. Spencer Tollackson finally ended the run with a reverse layup and Hagen added two free throws to pull Minneota back within eight. Indiana answered and pumped the lead to 46-33 on a Robert Vaden three-pointer with 11:35 to go. Hagen got the Gophers back to within nine on a layup with 9:25 remaining but the Gophers couldn't get closer down the stretch. The Hoosiers ran their lead to a game-high 17 at 65-48.
Hagen and Grier were brilliant offensively throughout the game, combining for 41 of the Gophers' 56 points. However, the rest of the team was just 5-of-26 from the floor. Minnesota dominated the glass, caroming 19 offensive rebounds but the Gophers consistently failed to convert them into points. Indiana relied on timely outside shooting, making 8-of-13 three-pointers while Minnesota was just 3-of-14 behind the arc.
Minnesota began the game just 1-of-7 from the field as Indiana jumped out to a 7-3 lead. The Hoosiers took their largest lead of the first half at 20-9 on a Pat Ewing basket. Ewing ended the game with a career-high 15 points. The Gophers switched to a zone defense and it paid off. They held the Hoosiers to only one field goal for almost eight minutes and went on a 10-2 run to pull within 22-19. Grier had six points in the stretch. Indiana brought the lead back to eight at 29-21 on a Mark Johnson trey but Minnesota scored the last six points of the half, capped by a Rico Tucker three-pointer, leaving the halftime score 29-27 in favor of the Hoosiers.
Hagen ended with 20 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. He also made 12-of-15 free throws. Grier topped the 20-point mark for the third straight game with 21 on 8-of-19 shooting. Grier has compiled 85 points over the last three games.
Ewing and A.J. Ratliff led Indiana with 15 points apiece while Vaden scored 14.
Minnesota travels to East Lansing, Mich. Wednesday night to take on the Spartans in a 6 p.m. battle. The game will be televised on Fox Sports North.
