Published: March 13, 2008 10:10 pm            

Minnesota comes back from 16-point deficit

Northwestern falls short by three

INDIANAPOLIS — Northwestern played its final game of the season Thursday and Minnesota earned the right to move on to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on Thursday after the Wildcasts fell to the Gophers, 55-52.

The 11th-seeded Wildcats nearly pulled it out, but lost a first half lead and couldn’t hold on for the win.

Minnesota went five minutes midway through the first half where the Gophers went scoreless, and Northwestern went on a 9-0 run to take a 10-point, 21-11 lead.

"I know I was a little tired myself at one point, but we caught a second wind," Minnesota’s Lawrence Westbrook said. "We spent so much energy coming back from a deficit that it took a lot out of us."

Northwestern had a 16-point lead at one point in the first half, and took a 34-21 lead into the break.

Minnesota took the lead for the for the first time in the second half after going on a 24-8 run to tie it at 42-42, as Westbrook hit a trey with 12:28 remaining in the game.

"We started to defend a little better," Minnesota forward Dan Coleman said. "I think when that happened, then they stopped hitting their 3s, so I think that worked out for us."

Nortwestern’s Craig Moore hit a jumper, and on the next possession nailed a 3-pointer to extend the lead again.

The Gophers didn’t take a lead until the 4:12 mark when Coleman dunked to take a 48-47 lead.

"Our defense leads to our offense," Westbrook said. "When we do that, everybody picks up their energy level and we start making shots and penetrating and rebounding better."

As part of their defense in the second half, Minnesota held Northwestern to zero points scored in the paint.

"In the second half, I think the big key was changing defenses," Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said. We went to a different defense in the second half and gave them a different look."

Northwestern’s Moore hit a pair of free throws to take back the lead at the 2:36 mark. But Northwestern never scored again in the game.

Coleman laid the ball in and later hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left in the contest.

Coleman only scored six points for the Gophers, but came in for the injured Spencer Tollackson, who went out just three minutes into the game.

He was injured on a foul that he was supposed to go to the line to shoot for. Lawrence Westbrook ended up going to the line to shoot for Tollackson.

Westbrook led the Gophers in scoring with 17 points, while Coleman had 16.

Northwestern was led in scoring by Moore with 15 points — 10 of those points coming in the second half.

With the win, Minnesota move on and will face Indiana at 9 p.m today.

"We’re not scared at all," Westbrook said. "We just want to come out and get an upset."

No. 1 seeded Wisconsin will face Michigan today at noon. Michigan moved on after defeated Iowa, 55-47.

Michigan State and Ohio State will face off a 2:30 and then Purdue will take on Illinois at 6:30. Illinois defeated Penn State, 64-63.



Jim Johnson writes for The Lebanon (Ind.) Reporter.