Gophers Finally Come Up Big When It Matters, Defeat Badgers

The Gophers trailed by 4 with 2:08 remaining. We all thought we knew exactly how this one would end. The Badgers would execute down the stretch and put the Gophers away. That is what they do and we tend to acquiesce. In fact ESPN informed us that when the Badgers have a lead or are tied with 5:00 min remaining they are 50-0...make that 50-1!

A Rodney Williams dunk with 1:53 remaining to cut the lead down to two. The Gophers then stopped the Badgers twice and twice had opportunities to tie the game. Austin Hollins missed a shot then the same Hollins was called for a charge on the next possession. Now Wisconsin has the ball, up 2 and just 22 seconds remaining. The remaining second would be filled with fouls, free throws and eventually a Badger win. But then Mike Bruesewitz thought he could run along the baseline on the inbounds. Turnover! Gopher ball. Joe Coleman went hard to the basket was fouled, made both and the Gophers went on to win in overtime.

Credit for this win belongs to Andre Hollins and the Gopher defense.

Hollins had a great game. 21 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and incredibly 0 turnovers. He calmly drained four free throws in OT to ice the game.

The Gopher defense contributed to not allowing the Badger offense to score more than one field goal in the final 11:13 (regulation + overtime). Ben Brust hit a jumper with 6:13 in regulation, the Badgers didn't score another field goal until Jared Berggren made a lay-up with 10 second left in overtime.

Great win for the Gophers. This was a different team for most of the second half playing with confidence and executing on offense. Hopefully this was a confidence building win. Up next is a road trip to Iowa City.