Unburdened U scores a blowout

The Gophers got the response and the result they wanted after a unit of reserves ignited a victory over the Wildcats.

By MYRON P. MEDCALF, Star Tribune

Last update: February 23, 2009 - 12:28 AM

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GOPHERS MEN 72, NORTHWESTERN 45

Up next: at No. 18 Illinois • 6 p.m. Thursday • Assembly Hall • TV: Big Ten Network (830-AM)

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After Sunday's 72-45 victory over Northwestern, Gophers men's basketball coach Tubby Smith joked that he'd hoped the media wouldn't wait around to talk to him after the game.

But someone had to record his reaction to what amounted to a 180-degree turn, compared to recent performances, for a Gophers team that has been stale at best since the Wildcats pulled off an upset over then-ranked Minnesota on Jan. 18.

The Gophers lost six of nine games, including that loss at Northwestern. But they avenged it Sunday and possibly stopped their NCAA tournament bubble from bursting. As long as the Gophers pull out a couple of victories in their final three games, they should get an invitation.

"I thought our guys were focused and ready tonight," said Smith, who earned his 16th consecutive 20-victory season with the victory Sunday. "I think they understand the urgency and the intensity that we have to play with."

The Gophers returned to an up-tempo style on offense (22-for-43 from the field, 16 assists) and harassing defense (the Wildcats had a seven-minute drought without a field goal in the first half and went 14-for-46), the identity that helped them start the year at 16-1 and earn a national ranking for seven consecutive weeks earlier this season.

They outrebounded Northwestern 40-21, another sign of aggression and heart that the team lacked as recently as Thursday's 74-62 loss at Michigan.

With the win Sunday, Minnesota (20-7, 8-7 Big Ten) also equaled its victory total from last season, when it went 20-14 and 8-10 in the conference. Lawrence Westbrook led all scorers with 17 points, and the Gophers held Northwestern's top points producers, Kevin Coble and Craig Moore, to eight points, after the duo put up 42 against the Gophers the first time around.

The victory also helped Minnesota regain some of the swagger it had earlier this season.

"It's huge because you get kind of down when you start losing games like that," said junior Travis Busch, who finished with seven points.

"You go on the road and things don't go the way you want them to. To come home and get a big win in front of a large crowd, it was fun to see the smiles on people's faces and just get it going again. It was a big weight off our shoulders."

At the outset, however, Smith pulled his starters because they didn't bring the hustle he demanded. But a reserve unit increased the velocity, in front an announced sellout crowd of 14,625.

Devron Bostick scored seven points, blocked a shot and had an assist in a span of 5 minutes, 5 seconds in the first half, kicking off a 32-13 Gophers run that closed the half.

The reserves scored 34 points and helped the Gophers expose the weaknesses in Northwestern's 1-3-1 zone defense. Minnesota's starters, once they returned toward the end of the first half, followed their teammates' lead.

"I brought the other team in and they were much more aggressive," Smith said. "That group that came off the bench ... gave us a lot more intensity.

"They've been playing well in practice, and it carried over today."

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