Gophers turn matters in their favor

The issues that cost the Gophers vs. Michigan State emerged only briefly against the Buckeyes.

By MYRON P. MEDCALF, Star Tribune

Last update: January 4, 2009 - 12:22 AM

The opening minutes of the Gophers men's basketball team's home matchup against Ohio State on Saturday felt eerily familiar.

The way the more aggressive Buckeyes attacked the glass at will and turned loose balls into buckets wreaked of the same poor start the Gophers had in their Big Ten-opening loss to Michigan State on Wednesday.

Then, late in the first half, the 21st-ranked Gophers stepped into a phone booth and emerged as a more focused team, sparking a game-changing attack and seizing a 68-59 victory.

The Gophers (13-1, 1-1 Big Ten) played consistent defense (34.6 percent shooting for the Buckeyes), won the rebounding war (42-30) and dominated inside (30 points in the paint) -- three things they couldn't do against the Spartans.

"It was a good way to bounce back after a not very pleasant New Year's Eve," coach Tubby Smith said. "I thought our kids responded the right way with the right type of intensity and the right type of physical play that we need to have in the Big Ten."

Lawrence Westbrook led the Gophers with 15 points and Damian Johnson bounced back from scoring only three points against the Spartans to fill up the stat sheet: 12 points, six rebounds, four steals, four assists and three blocks.

Down 22-15, Smith switched the Gophers from an ineffective man-to-man defense to a zone that disrupted No. 24 Ohio State's offense and helped the Gophers launch a 16-0 run with a combination of starters and reserves. The latter group accounted for 26 points and helped Minnesota both by sparking that sequence and by maintaining its intensity level in the second half as the Buckeyes (10-2, 1-1), who played without injured standout David Lighty, attempted to rally.

Freshman guard Devoe Joseph made a couple of shots to cut the Gophers' deficit to 22-20. Paul Carter made two free throws to tie the score before fellow junior college transfer Devron Bostick hit a three-pointer from the corner with 3 minutes, 46 seconds remaining in the first half, giving the Gophers a 25-22 lead. They extended the lead to 34-24 by halftime in front of an announced sellout crowd of 14,625.

Joseph's play proved vital to the victory. He played 21 minutes and ran the offense after Al Nolen left the game with two fouls at the 11:45 mark of the first half.

"The bench has been playing well," Smith said. "I look at them as equals. Everybody's not the same, but they know I believe in them as [much as] the ones that are on the court starting."

Bostick and Joseph both were in the lineup to start the second half, when Ohio State pulled within 36-33 after a 9-2 run. But veterans Westbrook, Johnson and Blake Hoffarber all scored in an 11-0 surge that put the Gophers up 47-33 with 13:31 to play.

That was when the frustrations on the court became more obvious. But unlike Wednesday's loss, it wasn't the Gophers' emotions that got the best of them. Ohio State swingman Evan Turner, who led all scorers with 21 points, went nose-to-nose with Carter after Turner was fouled toward the end of the game. Their teammates separated them.

"Guys get a little emotional during the game," Johnson said. "You've got to expect that. I was glad Paul did what he did. It really shows that we're not backing down from anyone."

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