Gophers postgame: A lot went right and Andre Hollins stepped up as the leader Minnesota needs

Read my full take on tonight's win here.

For weeks, Gophers coach Tubby Smith has been saying that this Gophers team lacks a leader.

"I mean, I'm sure he's there, but I'd like to see him surface," the coach said on Tuesday.

On Friday, he stepped up. Again.

Say hello to the Andre Hollins you remember from last year.

The point guard hit five threes against UCLA (a Gophers tournament record), performed in clutch moments and led Minnesota with 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists to just one turnover.

It was exactly the recipe the Gophers needed for a momentous 83-63 win over UCLA – the first Minnesota win in the Big Dance since 1997, and the first non-vacated win since 1990 – and a ticket to the second round, when they will play 3-seed Florida at 5:10 on Sunday on TNT.

"Growing up as a little kid, you dream of these moments," Hollins said.

Perhaps the most impressive thing was that when UCLA made two small comebacks -- which could have quickly gotten out of hand -- Minnesota responded by puttings its foot on the Bruins' throats. First came Hollins with his 3-pointers and the 10-3 run that was all his own, and then Joe Coleman helped nail the coffin, scoring 12 of his 14 points in the last 8:37.

It's amazing what this team can do if its hitting shots. But Hollins' shooting wasn't the only thing that went well for the Gophers on Friday.

They played a zone effectively – players said they hadn't practiced the zone much, but that they stuck with it when it was so effective (Smith said they had planned to use the zone a lot all along) and used the press well. They limited turnovers (11), particularly in the first half (3). They scored 20 points off UCLA turnovers and crushed the opponent in the paint, 34-24. And they ran the Bruins, who had a very thin bench to start, out of the building.

All of that combined to provide a blowout win despite the fact that the Gophers didn't really do the one thing they were expected to be good at – killing the Bruins on the boards – all that well (the Gophers had 36 rebounds to UCLA's 42).

Now, perhaps the biggest challenge will be for the Gophers to keep the intensity they showed on Friday, rather than suffering a letdown as they have so many times this year -- and for Andre Hollins to keep his hot touch and proclivity to lead.

Other notes on tonight's victory: