Gophers postgame: Much to solve after a loss to Nebraska

Read my game story from Wednesday's 53-51 loss to Nebraska here.

When coach Tubby Smith walked into the postgame presser, all he could do was compliment the opponent.

The words for his team, it seemed, were running dry.

"I want to congratulate Nebraska," Smith started. "They out-played us, out-worked us, out-coached us. They were very deserving of the win."

As for the Gophers, the reasons for the loss weren't hard to figure out: Minnesota made just 50 percent of their free throws, connected on just 38 percent from the field. Andre Hollins didn't score for the first 13 minutes. Rodney Williams, Austin Hollins and Joe Coleman didn't score at all.

"If we make a couple free throws here, get a stop here, it's a different game," said Trevor Mbakwe, the one bright spot for the team. "But you can't go on the road and shoot 50 percent from the free throw line and have the lapses that we did at the end of the game and expect to win."

Things felt off-kilter from the start when Smith threw out the same odd lineup that was meant originally simply as an ode to senior day against Penn State.

Mbakwe said he wasn't surprised at the lineup, considering that group had been practicing together for most of the week and was "doing pretty well."

But Smith's only reaction to questions regarding the lineup – which he said he flip-flopped back and forth about – was curt and blunt.

"We didn't win, so it didn't work," he said. He later added "It's not like we've got an offensive jauggernaut with whoever we put in the game. I mean, they're struggling to score."

The Gophers struggles certainly can't be all – or even mostly – tied to that decision by Smith. But with changing roles, and players not adjusting well, it didn't seem to help.

Did Minnesota get too high again, as Smith has warned his team has a penchant to?

Other notes from tonight's 53-51 loss: