University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Falls to No. 11 Michigan State 78-73
1/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team (12-5, 2-3) dropped a hard-fought 78-73 decision to No. 11 Michigan State (16-2, 4-1) in front of 14,625 fans at Williams Arena on Sunday, Jan. 20. It was the Golden Gophers’ second straight sellout at Williams Arena.
Lawrence McKenzie led the way tying season-high with 20 points. All of McKenzie’s points came in the second half for the Golden Gophers, as he shot 6-for-11 from the field and 4-for-7 from behind the arc. Lawrence Westbrook also tied a season-high with 12 points to go along with three assists and two steals. Damian Johnson also had 10 points, six rebounds and two steals on the afternoon.
Minnesota shot 45.8 percent (27-59) from the field, while Michigan State was 24-for-49 (49.0 percent). The Golden Gophers forced the Spartans into 18 turnovers, while committing 14 on the afternoon. Michigan State also shot 22-for-32 from the free-throw line, as it sank its final 11 of the game. The Golden Gophers shot 73.7 percent from the charity stripe at 14-for-19. Minnesota was outrebounded 36 to 31 for the game.
The Golden Gophers trailed 31-27 after the first half of action. Minnesota cut the Spartan lead to one when Spencer Tollackson made a layup and converted a three-point play with a free throw. The Spartans responded with five straight points to go up 36-30 with 16:37 remaining in the game.
After a Dan Coleman layup and a McKenzie three-pointer, Minnesota cut the lead to one point at 36-35. Michigan State moved back ahead by three points, but Johnson made pair of free throws to cut the lead back to one. McKenzie hit his second three-pointer of the half to put the Golden Gophers up 40-38 with 14:27 left in the game.
Michigan State responded with a three-pointer by Drew Neitzel to take the lead back, and expanded it to 50-44 at the 10:50 mark to complete a 12-4 run. Minnesota cut the lead back down to three points on a layup by McKenzie to make it 52-49.
The Spartans answered by taking what was then their biggest lead of the game on a three-pointer by Neitzel to take a 60-53 lead with 6:21 remaining. After the Golden Gophers cut it down to 60-55, Michigan State responded with five straight points to go up by 10 at 65-55 with 4:50 remaining in the game.
Minnesota did manage to cut the lead to 72-66 with 57 seconds left in the game, but Travis Walton hit a pair of free throws to make it an eight-point lead by the Spartans with 42 seconds remaining. The Golden Gophers trimmed the final tally to 78-73, despite the fact that Michigan State closed out the game by making their final 11 free throws.
The Golden Gophers came out strong in the first half taking a 10-6 lead after Jonathan Williams hit a layup at the 12:30 mark of the first half. Minnesota led 12-8, but Michigan State went on a 10-2 run to go up 18-14 with 8:28 left in the first half.
Minnesota responded with five straight points, and took the lead at 19-18 on Blake Hoffarber’s only three-pointer of the game. Williams and Coleman had back-to-back layups to complete a 9-0 run that give the Golden Gophers their biggest lead of the game at 23-18 with 6:34 remaining.
Michigan State answered by closing out the first half on a 13-4 run to take a 31-27 lead into the half.
Neitzel led four Spartan double-figure scorers with 19 points, and had 17 of his points in the second half. He also ended up hitting all five of his three-pointers in the second half. Goran Sutton finished with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Minnesota will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 26 when it travels to Columbus to face Ohio State. That game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Lawrence McKenzie led the way tying season-high with 20 points. All of McKenzie’s points came in the second half for the Golden Gophers, as he shot 6-for-11 from the field and 4-for-7 from behind the arc. Lawrence Westbrook also tied a season-high with 12 points to go along with three assists and two steals. Damian Johnson also had 10 points, six rebounds and two steals on the afternoon.
Minnesota shot 45.8 percent (27-59) from the field, while Michigan State was 24-for-49 (49.0 percent). The Golden Gophers forced the Spartans into 18 turnovers, while committing 14 on the afternoon. Michigan State also shot 22-for-32 from the free-throw line, as it sank its final 11 of the game. The Golden Gophers shot 73.7 percent from the charity stripe at 14-for-19. Minnesota was outrebounded 36 to 31 for the game.
The Golden Gophers trailed 31-27 after the first half of action. Minnesota cut the Spartan lead to one when Spencer Tollackson made a layup and converted a three-point play with a free throw. The Spartans responded with five straight points to go up 36-30 with 16:37 remaining in the game.
After a Dan Coleman layup and a McKenzie three-pointer, Minnesota cut the lead to one point at 36-35. Michigan State moved back ahead by three points, but Johnson made pair of free throws to cut the lead back to one. McKenzie hit his second three-pointer of the half to put the Golden Gophers up 40-38 with 14:27 left in the game.
Michigan State responded with a three-pointer by Drew Neitzel to take the lead back, and expanded it to 50-44 at the 10:50 mark to complete a 12-4 run. Minnesota cut the lead back down to three points on a layup by McKenzie to make it 52-49.
The Spartans answered by taking what was then their biggest lead of the game on a three-pointer by Neitzel to take a 60-53 lead with 6:21 remaining. After the Golden Gophers cut it down to 60-55, Michigan State responded with five straight points to go up by 10 at 65-55 with 4:50 remaining in the game.
Minnesota did manage to cut the lead to 72-66 with 57 seconds left in the game, but Travis Walton hit a pair of free throws to make it an eight-point lead by the Spartans with 42 seconds remaining. The Golden Gophers trimmed the final tally to 78-73, despite the fact that Michigan State closed out the game by making their final 11 free throws.
The Golden Gophers came out strong in the first half taking a 10-6 lead after Jonathan Williams hit a layup at the 12:30 mark of the first half. Minnesota led 12-8, but Michigan State went on a 10-2 run to go up 18-14 with 8:28 left in the first half.
Minnesota responded with five straight points, and took the lead at 19-18 on Blake Hoffarber’s only three-pointer of the game. Williams and Coleman had back-to-back layups to complete a 9-0 run that give the Golden Gophers their biggest lead of the game at 23-18 with 6:34 remaining.
Michigan State answered by closing out the first half on a 13-4 run to take a 31-27 lead into the half.
Neitzel led four Spartan double-figure scorers with 19 points, and had 17 of his points in the second half. He also ended up hitting all five of his three-pointers in the second half. Goran Sutton finished with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Minnesota will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 26 when it travels to Columbus to face Ohio State. That game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
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