THE KEY STRETCH

Before fans could storm the court and the Gophers could make national headlines with their 77-73 victory over No. 1 Indiana, there was this reality: Minnesota was staring at a 44-36 deficit with 14 minutes left in the game. And then everything turned around, thanks to some unlikely offense -- 12 consecutive points from bench players. The key sequence:

• Maverick Ahanmisi made a three-pointer with 13:47 remaining, snapping a four-plus-minute stretch in which the Gophers didn't have a field goal. That cut the deficit to five.

• After Christian Watford countered with a basket to make it 46-39, Elliott Eliason scored his only seven points of the game on a three-point play, a putback and a short jump hook over Cody Zeller to tie the score at 46-46 and ignite Williams Arena. All the points came in a two-minute stretch, and the last basket came on an assist from Ahanmisi.

• Derek Elston gave the Hoosiers the lead again with a pair of free throws, but the Gophers' Andre Ingram was fouled. Ingram -- 22-for-48 as a free-throw shooter in his Gophers career prior to stepping to the line -- made both to tie the game again at 48-48 with just over 10 minutes left.

• Minnesota starters scored the final 29 points, but the bench ignited the rally.

MICHAEL RAND