In a thrilling showdown at the United Center in Chicago, Rutgers seized control in the latter part of the second half, overcoming the Gophers 72-67 in the Big Ten tournament's second round. The Gophers, who had a slim lead at halftime, found themselves ahead 52-47 with just under 10 minutes left. But Rutgers had other plans, unleashing an 11-0 run that flipped the script and gave them a 58-52 advantage.
Turnovers were the Gophers' Achilles' heel during this stretch. Despite averaging just 10 turnovers per game in the regular season, they coughed up the ball six times during Rutgers' decisive run. This proved costly, as the Gophers couldn't close the gap to less than four points for the remainder of the contest.
Reflecting on the game, Gophers coach Niko Medved shared with KTLK radio, "We were right there, but down the stretch they outplayed us. We couldn’t make enough plays, and they made some big shots.
We had some turnovers in key spots. We haven’t done that in a long time.
We were not good enough tonight."
The Gophers wrapped up their season with a 15-17 record, committing 15 turnovers in total, 10 of which came in the second half.
Leading the charge for Rutgers was Tariq Francis, who poured in 29 points, a stark contrast to his 10-point performance in their previous loss to the Gophers. Francis was particularly lethal from beyond the arc, hitting 5-of-7 three-pointers. Rutgers, now 14-18, moves on to face UCLA in the third round.
For the Gophers, Cade Tyson was a standout, scoring 24 points, while Bobby Durkin contributed 15. In the closing moments, Isaac Asuma's layup brought the Gophers within five at 64-59, but Rutgers' clutch free-throw shooting-going 8-for-9 in the final minute-sealed the deal. Tyson managed to sink two three-pointers in the waning seconds, and Langston Reynolds added a bucket as time expired, but it was too little, too late.
Rutgers' ability to capitalize on free throws in the second half, hitting 12-of-17, was a key factor in their victory, showcasing their composure under pressure. As the Scarlet Knights advance, they'll be looking to carry this momentum forward.