Gophers Run Out of Gas Late Against Washington, Fall 69-57
The Minnesota Golden Gophers went into Seattle hoping to steal a key road win, but a combination of fatigue, cold shooting, and the absence of Jaylen Crocker-Johnson proved too much to overcome. Despite leading late in the first half, Minnesota couldn't keep pace down the stretch, falling 69-57 to a Washington team that capitalized on big runs and dominant individual performances.
Let’s start with the turning point. Minnesota was holding a narrow 26-25 lead with 4:46 left in the first half.
Then the wheels came off. The Gophers didn’t score again until the second half, a brutal drought that spanned nearly five full minutes of game time.
Washington, meanwhile, caught fire, closing the half on a 14-0 run to take a 39-26 lead into the break.
That run was more than just a momentum swing - it was a gut punch. And Minnesota never fully recovered.
In the second half, there were flashes of life. Bobby Durkin finished at the rim to bring the Gophers within 57-44 with just under eight minutes to play.
But then came another cold spell. Minnesota went more than three minutes without a bucket before Cade Tyson knocked down a corner three.
Grayson Grove added a finish at the rim with 4:12 remaining, but the Gophers didn’t score another field goal until Isaac Asuma hit a three with three seconds left - his first make from deep all game.
Minnesota’s perimeter shooting told the story. The Gophers went just 7-of-28 from beyond the arc, good for 25 percent.
And it wasn’t for lack of looks - they had open shots all night. But they just couldn’t buy a bucket.
Asuma finished 1-of-7 from distance. Kai Shinholster and Langton Reynolds were both 0-for-3.
Tyson and Durkin each went 3-of-7, but the team also airballed four threes - one from each of their four primary guards.
So what went wrong? A few things.
Tired legs may have played a part - this team has logged heavy minutes lately, and missing Crocker-Johnson only stretched the rotation thinner. Washington’s 1-3-1 zone also threw off the Gophers’ rhythm at times, forcing late-clock decisions and contested looks.
But ultimately, Minnesota just missed shots they normally make. A lot of them.
Turnovers didn’t help either. Minnesota gave it away 13 times, with five of those coming from Asuma.
And while the Gophers typically pride themselves on ball movement and assist rate, they finished with just nine assists on 21 made field goals. Even accounting for a couple of missed assist credits on high-post feeds - the kind of passes that usually show up in the box score - the Gophers still fell short of their usual offensive fluidity.
Defensively, Minnesota had no answer for Washington’s two stars. Zoom Diallo, a former five-star recruit, was surgical - 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting with four assists.
He controlled the tempo and made the right read time after time. But the real problem was Hannes Steinbach.
The future first-rounder was a mismatch nightmare. He poured in 26 points and grabbed nine boards on 12-of-17 shooting, bullying Gopher wings and forwards, especially after Grayson Grove got into foul trouble and had to sit.
Outside of Diallo and Steinbach, Washington didn’t do much - their other players combined for just 23 points, and starting wings Wesley Yates III and Quimari Peterson managed only 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting. But the damage had already been done. The Gophers simply couldn’t contain Washington’s top-end talent.
Cade Tyson led the way for Minnesota with 22 points - his first 20-point outing since January 9 against USC. Durkin added 13 on an efficient 5-of-9 shooting, while Asuma chipped in 11. All three played the full 40 minutes, a testament to their toughness but also a sign of how thin the Gophers’ rotation has become.
This one will sting for Minnesota. They had opportunities, they had open looks, and they had stretches of solid play. But the combination of cold shooting, costly turnovers, and defensive mismatches proved too much to overcome on the road.
Now, it’s about regrouping. Getting healthy. And figuring out how to finish stronger - both in halves and in the season.