In a thrilling Big Ten Tournament showdown, 14th-seeded Rutgers upset 11th-seeded Minnesota, 72-67, thanks to a stellar performance from Tariq Francis, who dropped 29 points. Rutgers, now 14-18, advances to face UCLA next, while Minnesota's season hangs in the balance as they hope for a spot in the NIT or the Crown.
Francis was on fire, shooting 9 of 16 from the field and sinking five from beyond the arc. He had solid support from Jamichael Davis, who chipped in 13 points, nailed three 3-pointers, and dished out six assists. Davis hit a crucial three with seven minutes left, while Emmanuel Ogbole bounced back from a quiet previous game to contribute 10 points and seven rebounds.
Reflecting on the win, Rutgers Coach Steve Pikiell praised his team's preparation. "We played them not too long ago, and it wasn't pretty," Pikiell noted.
"My staff did an excellent job of preparing. I like playing teams a second time.
We made a lot of adjustments."
For Minnesota, Cade Tyson was a force in the second half, scoring 18 of his 24 points. Bobby Durkin added 15 points, and Grayson Grove chipped in 10, all in the first half, helping the Gophers to a narrow 31-29 lead at halftime. However, Minnesota's 15 turnovers proved costly, a significant deviation from their usual ball security.
"They don't turn the ball over and they had 15 turnovers, so huge help for us," Pikiell remarked. "The last time they really took it to us, so I thought our guys were locked in.
This team plays very different, different than any team in the league. They have elite shooters.
They don't turn the ball over, and I thought our defense -- it's taken a long time, but we're starting to figure it out."
Gophers Coach Niko Medved was candid in his post-game assessment. "Losing stinks," he admitted.
"We knew it was going to be a dogfight. We knew Rutgers would play well.
At the end of the day, I think it was the turnovers. We turned it over 15 times, 10 in the second half, and I thought that was the difference in the game.
But you give them all the credit."
Cade Tyson acknowledged the physical demands of playing the full game. "It's definitely challenging," Tyson said.
"Give the credit to Rutgers. I thought they played a really good game.
But I mean, of course, there's a battle that comes with it, but I feel like we've worked hard enough for both of our bodies and our teammates' bodies to sustain itself that 40 minutes."
As Rutgers looks ahead to UCLA, they'll be riding high on this victory, while Minnesota reflects on a season that may not be over just yet.