University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Lose Tough Battle At Iowa, 60-49
1/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dan Coleman had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead Minnesota (7-10, 1-2 Big Ten) in a 60-49 loss to Iowa (10-7, 2-1 Big Ten) this afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Minnesota battled hard without injured center Spencer Tollackson, who missed his first game with a broken hand, but couldn't generate enough offense to pick up a Big Ten road win. Adam Haluska scored 22 points to lead Iowa to its 11th straight conference home win.
Trailing by as many as 10 points in the second half, Jamal Abu-Shamala drained a left wing three with 1:20 left in the game to pull the Gophers within six at 55-49 with 1:20 left. Kevin Payton picked off a Hawkeye pass on the ensuing possession and Abu-Shamala was fouled and Minnesota had a chance to cut the deficit to four but he missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Iowa grabbed the carom. Iowa put the game away down the stretch, making 5-of-6 free throws in the final minute.
Coleman was a force all afternoon for the Gophers, hitting 9-of-17 from the floor for 19 points in addition to a career-best 12 boards. He also had two blocks and three assists. Lawrence McKenzie added 17 points for Minnesota. The Gophers were unable to consistently put the ball in the basket, hitting just 34 percent of the their shots (20-59) and only 24 percent from behind the arc (4-17). The Gophers played tough defense all game, limiting the Hawkeyes to just 34 percent shooting as well (18-53) but the difference was at the foul line. Iowa made 22-of-27 from the stripe while the Gophers managed just seven trips to the line, making five.
Trailing 22-16 at the half, the Gophers pulled within two at 27-25 on a Coleman basket. Haluska scored the next five to give Iowa its largest lead of the game to that point at seven points before Jon Williams trimmed the deficit back to five with two free throws. Coleman, who had 15 second half points, scored the next four for the Gophers to keep them within six but a Tyler Smith three-point play gave Iowa a 40-31 lead with 10:33 to go. McKenzie nailed a 14-foot jumper on the next Minnesota possession but another three-point play, this time by Tony Freeman, put Iowa up 10 at 43-33.
The Gophers didn't go quietly as McKenzie drained a trey with 6:40 left to pull the Gophers within five at 45-40 but Iowa seemed to have an answer every time the Gophers pulled closer.
The Gophers started the game well, taking an 11-7 lead on jumpers by Coleman and McKenzie. Iowa answered with a 9-0 run to take a 16-11 lead with 10:20 on the clock. McKenzie retaliated with his second trey of the half to make the score 16-14. Smith and Bryce Webster, who made his first career start for Minnesota, traded dunks but the Hawkeyes scored the final four points of the half to make the score 22-16 at the half. The Gophers got a brief scare when Coleman rolled his ankle with just over five minutes on the clock. After a quick trip to the locker room, he returned to finish the half.
Smith was the only other Hawkeye in double figures with 15.
The Gophers return to action Wednesday night when they host Illinois at Williams Arena. The game tips at 6 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
