University of Minnesota Athletics
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The Shot at the Schott: Postgame Notes from Columbus
1/23/2020 8:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SERIES, ETC.
This evening's 62-59 road win was the 141st all-time meeting between Minnesota and Ohio State (not counting vacated games), with the Buckeyes leading the series, 88-53 (53-17 in Columbus). The victory was the first on the road for the Gophers this season, and it gives Minnesota a season sweep of the Buckeyes. Minnesota improved to 11-8 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten, while Ohio State dropped to 12-7 overall and 2-6 in the conference. Richard Pitino is 4-7 versus the Buckeyes. Minnesota's all-time record now stands at 1,498-1,121 overall and 766-839 in the B1G (not counting vacated games). Coach Pitino's seventh-year record at Minnesota is 123-100, and his eight-year career mark is 141-114.
STARTING FIVE
Coach Pitino utilized a starting lineup of senior Alihan Demir (17th start at Minnesota, 73rd career start), redshirt junior Payton Willis (15th start at Minnesota, 31st career start), redshirt sophomore Marcus Carr (19th start at Minnesota, 46th career start), sophomore Gabe Kalscheur (55th career start), and sophomore Daniel Oturu (60th career start). Minnesota improved to 8-6 this season when using that starting five.
GAME RECAP
Minnesota trailed by nine points, 37-28, at the half, as Ohio State held Daniel Oturu scoreless (two rebounds). But Minnesota also limited OSU leading scorer Kaleb Wesson without a point in the opening 20 minutes. Gabe Kalscheur and Marcus Carr each had eight points at the break to lead the Gophers. Minnesota was just 4-of-8 at the free throw line, while the Buckeyes made 11-of-15 first-half free throws.
The Gophers opened the second half with an 11-3 run over the first 5:45, as Carr scored six points and got Oturu in the scoring column during the run. The Buckeyes increased the lead back to five points, but the Gophers kept chipping away and were finally able to recapture the lead at 54-53 on a Kalscheur three-pointer with 4:52 remaining. Tied at 59-59, Carr grabbed a loose ball rebound with about 13 seconds remaining, and made the game-winning three-pointer with 3.3 seconds left.
CARR CARRIES GOPHERS PAST OSU ... AGAIN
Marcus Carr has absolutely willed the Gophers to a pair of wins against Ohio State this season. In December, he scored a career-high 35 points, including 28 in the second half, as Minnesota knocked off the then third-ranked Buckeyes. Tonight, Carr tallied a game-high 21 points, which included 13 points after the break as Minnesota rallied from an 11-point deficit. Carr was 7-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, while grabbing a team-high seven rebounds and dishing out a pair of assists in 36 minutes. It was Carr's sixth game this season with 20+ points, and he's accomplished that feat three times in the past four games.
OTURU KEEPS DOUBLE-FIGURE STREAK ALIVE
Daniel Oturu was scoreless at the half, but he finished with 11 points and six rebounds to stretch his double-figure scoring streak to 14 games and help rally the Gophers. The point total was Oturu's lowest in Big Ten play. In nine Big Ten games, Oturu has six double-doubles and is averaging 21.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. Over his past 12 games, he's had eight games with 20+ points. Oturu, who leads the Big Ten with 11 double-doubles this season, has recorded double-doubles in seven of his past 11 games. Tonight's game marked Oturu's 50th career start. He has played in all but one game the past two years, making starts in 50 of 51 games.
KALSCHEUR REACHES DOUBLE-FIGURES
Gabe Kalscheur played a key role for the Gophers, as he was on the court for 38 minutes and knocked down three pivotal three-pointers, including the one that gave the Gophers their first second-half lead with just under five minutes remaining. Kalscheur finished with 13 points, snapping a streak of five-straight games not reaching double-figures. It was Kalscheur's 10th double-digit scoring game this season.