Honestly, it's tough to blog after a game like this, after writing another game story about how the Gophers fell short, failed to take the challenge, shot themselves in the foot. What else can you say about how dire things are looking?

Doing postgame press conferences might be starting to feel the same way for Tubby Smith, too. The Gophers' coach seemed more frustrated, angry and out of answers than ever after the 64-53 loss.

And with good reason. This game meant -- maybe -- everything to the Gophers' season. And the bulk of the Minnesota team played like they were unaware of the stakes.

"They were told what the implications were," Smith said. "And we didn't rise to the challenge. We didn't raise up.

"I hope they felt pressure," he said in reference to his team, that looked lackluster next to Northwestern. "That's what the game is about, that's what the sport is all about, measuring yourself against pressure.

"The great players, they want more pressure, the good players, they want that challenge, they seek it. They embrace it. Obviously we don't."

After the first 16 minutes, it seemed Shurna had an answer for everything.

Coming out of the locker room, the players looked stunned. Julian Welch hung his head while he talked to the media and seemed to grasp -- somewhat -- the direness of the Gophers situation.

"I honestly don't know," he said when asked what he thought about the Gophers' chances to get to the NCAA tournament now. "It probably got a lot worse with that loss to Northwestern. We've got to win games and we've got to focus on that right now.

"Every loss hurts, especially this one because we're on the bubble and whatnot. It just hurts, that's about it."

The Gophers need at least three more wins to even be considered for the tournament. The face Michigan State next, then Indiana, then head to Wisconsin before closing the schedule out against Nebraska.

Some other notes on the game:

  • John Shurna, with his 18-point performance, took Northwestern's all-time scoring record with a three-point shot that gave him 1,902 career points. Shurna didn't score at all for the first 16 minutes of the game with the Gophers putting a lot of focus on him, but once he broke out, he broke out. Shurna scored 12 consecutive points for the Wildcats heading into halftime.
  • Joe Coleman broke out of his four-game scoreless streak, scoring 12 points for the Gophers. Good to see, just too bad it didn't come in a win.
  • In perhaps the most stunning stat of the night, the Gophers more than doubled Northwestern's rebounds -- 41-20. It didn't make a bit of difference, though -- the Gophers got just seven second-chance points, and turned the ball over 21 times, completely muting their rebounding effort.
  • Julian Welch had five three-pointers for the Gophers, and finished with 21 points. He was the only Gopher who made a three-point shot.
  • Oto Osenieks didn't have a terrible game in his first start, but he didn't make much of an impact either. He finished with four points, five rebounds, three assists and three turnovers.
  • Elsewhere in the lineup, Rodney Williams had seven rebounds but just nine points, Austin Hollins went scoreless and Ralph Sampson III had four points and three rebounds. Honestly, I'm not sure if Smith would ever consider not starting him. But if he ever does, it's now.