Washington’s Hot Hand Buries Shorthanded Gophers in Seattle
The Minnesota Gophers ran into a buzzsaw in Seattle on Thursday night. Washington, shooting a blistering 63 percent from the field, used a game-breaking 23-4 run to seize control and hand the Gophers a 69-57 loss at Alaska Airlines Arena. It was a tough blow for a Minnesota squad missing starting forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, and despite flashes of fight, the Gophers couldn’t climb out of the hole.
Tyson Leads the Way, But Gophers Can’t Keep Pace
Tyson continued to be the engine for Minnesota, pouring in a team-high 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting. He knocked down three triples and was nearly automatic at the stripe, going 7-for-8. This marked his 24th game in double figures this season and his 10th with 20 or more-consistency that’s been a bright spot in an otherwise up-and-down campaign.
Bobby Durkin added 13 points, including three makes from deep, while Isaac Asuma chipped in 11 points along with two rebounds, two assists, and a pair of steals. Langston Reynolds and Grayson Grove-who stepped into the starting lineup in Crocker-Johnson’s absence-combined for 11 points, with Grove also grabbing three boards.
But even with those contributions, Minnesota couldn’t keep up with a Husky squad that found its rhythm and never let go.
A First-Half Collapse That Set the Tone
Minnesota actually held a 26-25 lead with 4:46 left in the first half, thanks to a solid stretch that included a Durkin three and a Tyson layup. But then the wheels came off.
Washington responded with a 14-0 run to close the half, flipping a one-point deficit into a 13-point lead at the break. The Gophers didn’t score in the final 4:45 of the half, and the Huskies took full advantage. Hannes Steinbach and Zoom Diallo led the charge, combining for 18 first-half points and setting the tone for what was to come.
The Gophers shot just 36.7 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes and struggled from deep, hitting only 4-of-17 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Huskies were scorching-16-of-24 from the field, including nearly 43 percent from three. Add in an 18-11 rebounding edge, and it was clear which team had the upper hand heading into halftime.
Second-Half Push Falls Short
Minnesota showed some fight early in the second half. Layups from Asuma and Reynolds, plus Durkin’s third three-pointer, helped trim the deficit to 15.
A pair of Tyson free throws even cut it to 11 midway through the half. But every time the Gophers made a push, Washington had an answer.
Steinbach was the tone-setter, finishing with a game-high 26 points and dominating in the paint. Diallo added 17 points and four assists, and the Huskies continued to shoot the lights out, hitting four of their first five shots after the break.
By the time Diallo rattled off six straight points to stretch the lead to 63-44 with under six minutes to play, the game had slipped out of reach.
Minnesota made a late push-Tyson knocked down his third three of the night, Grove added a layup, and Asuma buried a triple in the final seconds-but the damage was done. The Gophers never got closer than 11 the rest of the way.
By the Numbers
- Minnesota shot 42.9 percent overall (21-of-49), but just 25 percent from three (7-of-28).
- Washington, on the other hand, was lights out-29-of-46 from the field for 63 percent.
- The Huskies dominated the paint, outscoring the Gophers 44-26 inside and winning the rebounding battle 30-21.
- Minnesota was also limited to just 12 free throw attempts, converting 8.
Looking Ahead
The Gophers drop to 11-14 overall and 4-10 in Big Ten play, with back-to-back losses piling up as the regular season winds down. They’ll try to regroup quickly as they stay out west for a matchup at Oregon on Tuesday, Feb.
- Tipoff from Eugene is set for 9:30 p.m.
CT on FS1.
The road doesn’t get any easier, but if Minnesota wants to build momentum heading into March, it starts with finding a way to finish games stronger-and getting healthy.