University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
(24-9)
Michigan
(23-11)
Gophers Fall to Michigan, 84-77
3/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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WASHINGTON (AP) Derrick Walton Jr. scored 18 consecutive points down the stretch as eighth-seeded Michigan beat Minnesota 84-77 Saturday to earn a spot in the Big Ten Tournament final.
Walton finished with 29 points, nine assists, five rebounds, two steals and just one turnover and took over the game for the Wolverines (23-11).
For more than seven minutes the ball was in Walton's hands as he navigated big German forward Moe Wagner's foul trouble and quarterfinal star D.J. Wilson's off day and took over.
Wagner built Michigan's big first-half lead by making his first six shots and finished with 17 points.
Walton saw Minnesota's Nate Mason, who finished ahead of him in all-conference voting, feeling it at the other end and matched every basket and then some. Mason finished with 23 points and four assists, but the Golden Gophers (24-9) couldn't make up for the loss of injured guard Akeem Springs or handle Walton's surge.
''We knew he'd be a threat,'' Minnesota forward Reggie Lynch said of Walton. ''He had a great game against us. It's something we have to shore up down the road, covering great point guards.''
SPRINGS OUT
Springs tore the Achilles tendon in his right ankle in Minnesota's quarterfinal win Friday against Michigan State and is out for the season. New starter Dupree McBrayer had 14 points and played all 40 minutes along with Mason, but only two bench points showed the potential for problems in the NCAA Tournament.
''We're a totally different team now with Akeem out,'' coach Richard Pitino said. ''We're going to have to start teaching some guys some different positions. That was a huge blow.''
BIG PICTURE
Minnesota: Will have to make up for the loss of Springs moving forward, but the team knows it can count on Mason to shoulder the load.
UP NEXT
Minnesota: An NCAA Tournament bid that's an impressive accomplishment after going 8-23 last season.
