Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Fall at Minnesota
1/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
January 26, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS. - The Indiana men's basketball team saw its four game winning streak come to an end as the Hoosiers dropped a 70-65 decision to Minnesota on Wednesday night at Williams Arena.With the loss, IU drops to 9-8, 4-2 in the Big Ten, while Minnesota moves to 14-5, 4-2 in the conference.
The game was a tale of two halves for the Hoosiers, who traded basket for basket with the Gophers in the first half. Both teams combined for five ties and 10 lead changes in the first 20 minutes of play. Minnesota's largest lead was four on two occasions, while the Cream and Crimson held a two-point cushion for their largest advantage at three different times.
IU trailed by one, 29-28, until junior Bracey Wright nailed a jumper with 53 seconds left to give Indiana a 30-29 lead, its last lead of the contest. The Gophers would erase that lead with 33 seconds left as Dan Coleman hit a layup that gave the host team a 31-30 halftime lead.
Indiana started the second half in an awful shooting drought hitting 1 of its first 11 shots, as the Hoosiers scored just two points in the first 10 minutes of the second stanza. In that time, Minnesota ran off a 16-2 run to open its largest lead of the game, 47-32, with 9:50 left to play.
The Gopher run was finally snapped as Wright hit two free throws. The Hoosiers then cut the deficit to 10 on the next possession, as freshman Robert Vaden nailed a three-pointer putting IU down 47-37 with 8:18 left in the game.
After Minnesota pushed its lead back up to 13, the Cream and Crimson fought back to cut the Gopher advantage to nine, 53-44, with 6:39 left.
IU would continue to cut into the Minnesota lead, but time after time the Gophers would answer back with a field goal or from the free-throw line. Minnesota would then run its advantage back up to 10, 61-51, with 3:55 left.
The Hoosiers would go on one last run to try and steal the road contest. First, freshman D.J. White's layup and free throw at 3:43 put IU down by seven, 61-54. Indiana would then hold the Gophers on defense and when IU got the ball back on offense, White again went inside for a short jumper to get the Cream and Crimson within five, 51-56, with 3:17 to go.
Minnesota would go to the charity stripe on its next two offensive possessions, converting three of four attempts to build an eight-point advantage, 64-56.
The Hoosiers stormed back as White put down an acrobatic dunk to pull IU back within six, 64-58. The Hoosier defense would then force a Gopher turnover, as freshman A.J. Ratliff was able to come away with a steal. Ratliff then drove to the rim for a layup, but the ball rimmed out as the referee called a foul. Ratliff would settle for two free throws and IU was within four, 64-60, with 58 seconds left in the game.
IU would put on the full-court press once again to force another turnover, but the Hoosiers ended up fouling Minnesota on the inbounds play. The Gophers would hit both free throws to go back up by six, only to see the Hoosiers quickly retaliate with two Wright free throws to bring the deficit back to four, 66-62, with 41 seconds left on the clock.
Indiana would then force another turnover as White came away with a steal, but Wright missed a three-pointer and the Gophers corralled the rebound. Minnesota then inbounded the ball and the Hoosiers fouled J'son Stamper immediately. Stamper would hit one of two from the line, but IU missed a chance to cut into the lead some more as Wright's three was too strong bouncing off the back of the rim. Minnesota would once again hit one of two from the stripe to go up by six, 68-62, with 24 seconds showing on the game clock.
On Indiana's next trip down the court, Wright put up a jumper as he was fouled. The ball found the bottom of the net, and after Wright connected on his free throw, IU was finally within one possession, 68-65, with 14 seconds left.
Minnesota would hold onto the lead and the victory as the Gophers hit both free throws to go up by five, 70-65, and that is how the game ended.
White ended the contest with a game-high 23 points, tying his career-high. He also connected on a career-high 10 field goals and added seven rebounds and four blocks. Wright finished with 19 points, five assists and four steals, while Vaden ended the game with 13 points and six boards.
Minnesota was paced by Jeff Hagan and Vincent Grier who both netted 15 points. Stamper added nine points and eight rebounds.
Minnesota connected on 22-of-28 from the free throw line, while IU converted 13 of its 17 attempts from the stripe.
IU returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 28, as the Hoosiers travel to Iowa City for a Big Ten road contest against Iowa. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.
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