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Gophers' depth charge sinks Butler
The Gophers got plenty of contributions from throughout their roster to take down a top-15 team on a neutral court for the second consecutive season.
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Follow Myron on TwitterNO. 22 GOPHERS 82, NO. 12 BUTLER 73
Up next: 8:30 tonight vs. Portland • Anaheim Convention Center • TV: ESPNU (830-AM)
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ANAHEIM, CALIF. — How deep are Tubby Smith's Gophers?
Ralph Sampson III didn't register a field goal. Al Nolen and Damian Johnson were in foul trouble all night and disqualified late.
Lawrence Westbrook, the team's leading scorer, went scoreless in the first half, when the team went 3-for-10 from the three-point line.
And on the backs of reserves, the No. 22 Gophers still beat No. 12 Butler 82-73 in the opening round of the 76 Classic on Thanksgiving at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The Gophers bench outscored Butler's 46-8, and the Gophers had a 28-16 advantage on points in the paint. The Gophers (4-0) appeared to be anxious early, but 6-10 sophomore Colton Iverson anchored the team by recording his first double-double by halftime. He finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds while blocking two shots and altering others.
"It feels good obviously, but I'm not a big stat guy," Iverson said.
Devoe Joseph helped the Gophers maintain their lead with 14 points. Blake Hoffarber added 12, going 3-for-5 from the three-point line.
And for the second consecutive season, Minnesota (4-0) pulled off an early nonconference upset of a top-15 team on a neutral court. Last December, about 350 miles east of Anaheim in Glendale, Ariz., the Gophers beat then-No. 10 Louisville, a team that ended up as last season's No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.
This victory put the Gophers in the semifinals where they face Portland, a surprise 72-47 winner over UCLA.
"We were the underdogs going into [Thursday's] game," Smith said. "This will go far, but it is just one game and it is early in the season. ... I think it will give us some confidence."
The Gophers forced 21 turnovers -- the most for the Bulldogs (3-1) in three seasons under coach Brad Stevens -- after Butler averaged just over 10 per game entering Thursday.
On the offensive end, the Gophers hit half of their shots (25-for-50). A Bulldogs team known for its knack from beyond the arc went 2-for-12 from downtown in the second half and 5-for-23 in the game.
Butler hadn't faced the Gophers' brand of length and defensive intensity since it lost 75-71 to Louisiana State in the first round of the NCAA tourney.
Johnson and Nolen fouled out in the closing minutes Thursday, but the Gophers' aggression on Butler's end of the floor never ceased.
"They're an incredibly deep team," Stevens said.
The Gophers and Bulldogs traded blows all evening, with Butler steadied by Matt Howard, who scored his team's first 10 points after halftime and led all scorers with 23 points. The Gophers countered with Iverson and Johnson, who scored a team-high 18 points.
Westbrook hit a three-pointer with 11 minutes, 38 seconds to play that gave the Gophers a 47-39 lead, their largest of the game at that point.
Johnson's three-pointer with 7:22 to go gave the Gophers a 10-point edge. Still down 10 with 2:29 to go, Butler climbed back into the fight, getting consecutive three-point plays. A pair of Shelvin Mack free throws, two of his 20 points, pulled the Bulldogs to within 75-71 with 1:40 to play.
The Gophers went 7-for-12 from the free-throw line from there to seal the victory.
Smith inserted his reserves nearly five minutes into Thursday's game to help his starters calm down, he said. The team launched a 10-3 run to escape from a 12-7 Butler lead.
"It usually gives guys a chance to kind of watch what's going on," Smith said.
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