University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Rally But Fall to Hoosiers in Overtime
1/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Minnesota rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to force overtime, but Indiana scored the game's final eight points for an 81-78 victory on Sunday in Bloomington, Ind.
The Gophers never led in regulation and the game was never tied until Devoe Joseph's 10-foot jumper from the left side of the lane with 9.6 seconds left knotted the game at 70-70. Joseph hit a pair of three-pointers in overtime as Minnesota took a 78-73 lead with two minutes left, however, the Gophers had a turnover and missed three shots on their final four possessions of the game as Indiana rallied for the victory.
Indiana's Verdell Jones III hit the go-ahead five-foot jumper with 32.8 seconds left and scored seven of the Hoosiers' 11 overtime points while leading all scorers with 24 points.
It was Minnesota's second straight road loss after losing at Michigan State earlier in the week. The Gophers fell to 12-6 overall and 3-3 in the Big Ten, while Indiana snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 8-9 overall and 2-3 in the league.
Joseph led the Gophers with 19 points and hit the Gophers' final two shots that capped a 13-2 run to end the second half and force overtime. Joseph scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half and overtime. Minnesota held Indiana without a field goal over the final 6:37 of regulation and made its final four field goal attempts of the second half. Ralph Sampson III added 17 points and hit a pair of key free throws down the stretch. Minnesota's bench combined to score 40 of the team's 78 points.
Indiana opened the game with a 7-1 run and had its biggest first half lead at 28-14 after Devan Dumes drained a three-pointer with 7:07 left in the period. Minnesota made six of its last eight field goals of the first half and closed to within 40-36 at halftime when Rodney Williams buried a three-pointer from the left corner at the first half buzzer.
The Hoosiers opened the second half with an 8-2 spurt to take a 48-38 lead and pushed their advantage to 15 points at 59-44 with 14:04 left on a basket by Derek Elston. However, Minnesota responded with eight consecutive points to pull back within 59-52 with 11:02 remaining. Both teams went cold for the next few minutes and Indiana eventually built the lead back to 11 points at 68-57 on a basket by Jones with 6:38 left.
Minnesota scored the game's next nine points with Joseph setting up Paul Carter for a dunk and then scoring a jumper of his own with 4:02 remaining. After Carter made one of two free throws, Sampson made two free throws with 2:42 left to pull the Gophers within 68-64. A slashing layup from Carter with 1:47 left made it 68-66. Elston hit one of two free throws for Indiana with 43.8 seconds left, but Joseph responded with a short jumper in the lane to bring the Gophers within 69-68 with 30.9 seconds to go.
Jones sank one of two free throws with 22 seconds remaining as the Hoosiers pushed the lead back to 70-68 before Joseph's tying jumper with 9.6 seconds left. With no timeouts left, Indiana raced to the other end and Christian Watford missed an open free throw jumper and the game went to overtime.
Joseph connected on two three-pointers early in overtime for Minnesota's first lead of the game and Al Nolen made two free throws as the Gophers appeared to be in control of the extra session with a 78-73 lead with two minutes left. However, Jones sank two free throws and a 15-foot jumper with 1:15 left after a Minnesota turnover.
Joseph missed a shot with 45 seconds left and Jones followed with his go-ahead jumper with 32.8 seconds left to put Indiana up 79-78. Minnesota ran the clock down on its ensuing possession and Joseph missed a 10-foot jumper that was rebounded by the Hoosiers' Watford with 4.3 seconds left. He made both free throws and Joseph had a 30-footer hit the back iron as time expired.
Indiana controlled the boards throughout the game, holding a 43-31 rebounding advantage that included 20 offensive rebounds. The Gophers also committed 30 fouls and lost both Sampson and Carter to five fouls during overtime.
Carter finished with nine points and 10 rebounds for the Gophers, while Lawrence Westbrook tallied seven points. Watford added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Hoosiers and Dumes had 13 points.
Minnesota has five days off before hosting Michigan State at Williams Arena on Saturday at 11 a.m.
