Michigan
Minnesota
Michigan Comeback Falls Short Against Golden Gophers
2/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team fell to Minnesota on Saturday (Feb. 1) by a score of 87-80 at Williams Arena. The Wolverines could not stop the hot-shooting Gophers, who shot 28-of-56 from the floor and 22-of-25 from the free throw line, as they lost their second straight road game.
| | With 12 points, Brown was one of four U-M freshmen who scored in double digits. |
Minnesota opened up an early 8-3 lead 1:40 into the game by scoring the first five points and then receiving a three-pointer from Kevin Burleson. A trey from Horton followed by an Abram bucket tied the game at 8-8 one minute later. A three-point basket by LaVell Blanchard (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) gave Michigan its only lead of the game at 16:50.
The Gophers then scored 10 of the next 13 points, including back-to-back three-pointers from Rickert, to make the score 20-14. Michigan and Minnesota then traded baskets over the ensuing six minutes, leaving the Gophers with a 30-28 advantage. Minnesota put together another run due to its proficient three-point shooting and took its largest lead of the half, 38-30, with 8:52 remaining. Michigan then responded with a 7-0 run, five points coming from Abram, to cut its deficit to one point with 6:10 left. Another Minnesota trey and a made free throw pushed its lead back to five points. The Wolverines battled back and got two free throws and a layup to cut the lead back to one for the third time of the half at the 2:40 mark. Blanchard and Horton each had chances in the final minute to give U-M the lead going into halftime but it was the Gophers who scored last to earn a 44-41 lead at intermission.
Both teams shot extremely well from behind the arc to start the game. Michigan made five of its first six three-point attempts while Minnesota made its first four. Abram led U-M with 11 points in the first 20 minutes while Rickert had nine points for Minnesota.
Minnesota broke out of halftime by scoring six of the first eight points to extend its advantage to 50-43 with 17:13 left. Michigan answered though as it rattled off seven consecutive points in a span of 49 seconds to tie the game with 16:04 remaining. U-M's defense failed to hold the Gophers as they went off on a 9-0 run over the next two and a half minutes. Brown attempted to carry Michigan back into the game by scoring U-M's next four points, but the Gophers' Jeff Hagen continued his solid play around the basket by completing his third three-point play in a row to stretch the Minnesota lead to a game-high 11 points at 11:17.
The Wolverines were able to stay with Minnesota over the next four minutes and made the score 69-66 on a jumper from Horton at the 7:04 mark. Minnesota responded again by scoring eight of the game's next 10 points to grab a comfortable 77-68 advantage at 4:34. Michigan slowly chipped away at its deficit and finally cut the lead to 80-78 when Sherrod Harrell (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central HS) scored his only basket of the game, a three-pointer, with 1:05 left. Michigan got the ball back with under a minute to play and a chance to tie the game but a shot by Abram hit off the iron and the rebound was corralled by Minnesota. The Gophers then successfully sank four straight free throws to seal the game.
Michigan will have six days off as its next game will come on Saturday (Feb. 8) against Iowa at Crisler Arena. Tipoff is scheduled to be at 12:17 p.m. with a halftime tribute to U-M All-American Rudy Tomjanovich (1968-70), whose jersey will be retired.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
