Read my full story on the Gophers' 81-73 win here.
Before Minnesota walked off the Williams Arena court for the last time in 2014, bound for the NIT semifinals in New York, before the Gophers even took the court, DeAndre Mathieu's mother called.
Remember that time in [current Southern Miss coach Donnie] Tyndall's office? she asked. The time when the former Morehead State coach didn't give her son a scholarship.
"Mom, it's not even about him anymore," he told her. "It's about winning this game and going to New York."
Tuesday, it wasn't about Mathieu. The 5-9 battled foul trouble in the first half and finished with just seven points and had five turnovers, while Austin Hollins (career-high 32 points), Joey King (15 points) and Mo Walker (12 points, nine rebounds, four assists, zero turnover, three blocks and three steals -- whoa) took over.
But no matter.
Going to Madison Square Garden was all Mathieu wanted.
Well, that and beating his former coach.