Gophers need OT to hold off Boston College 85-80 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
Minnesota center Liam Robbins had 14 points and eight rebounds as the Gophers beat Boston College 85-80 in overtime of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Tuesday night at Williams Arena. ((credit: University of Minnesota Athletics))
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team got its first test against a Power 5 opponent Tuesday night, and needed overtime to fend off Boston College 85-80 at Williams Arena in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
We also got a glimpse into how this team, with six new players, is gelling after a 5-0 start. For the first time in Richard Pitino’s seven-plus seasons, he gave the postgame talk after the win in the trainer’s room. The players didn’t want to leave out forward Brandon Johnson, who went down late in overtime with an ankle injury and needed to be helped off the court.
“It was really the players’ decision. We didn’t want to leave Brandon out of the postgame speech, so we told Coach P. let’s have it in the training room so he can be included,” guard Tre Williams said.
Marcus Carr led the Gophers with 22 points on 7-of-20 shooting, added five rebounds and six assists. Liam Robbins scored 14 points and added eight rebounds, and Both Gach added 16 points. They got past a Boston College squad that has had early non-conference games against Villanova, Rhode Island, St. John’s and Florida.
“I think that’s a really good team who has played a crazy schedule. We have high level respect for them and we knew it would be a very, very challenging game,” Pitino said.
Carr, Gach and Robbins combined for 52 of the 85 points, but it was the Minnesota bench that provided a spark for the Gophers. Trailing 52-37 with 14 minutes to play, Williams, Jamal Mashburn Jr. and Isaiah Ihnen sparked a 19-5 run, and Williams’ lay-in with 9:13 left in regulation gave Minnesota a 53-52 lead.
Mashburn, Ihnen and Williams combined for 22 points off the bench and shot 12-of-15 from the field, giving energy in the second half when shots weren’t falling for others.
“They absolutely came in and brought some life. That’s what embracing your role is all about. Everybody wants to play major minutes, and we constantly talk that everything that we do is for Minnesota. They came in and brought unbelievable, selfless energy,” Pitino said.
Boston College shot 12-of-35 from three-point range, and it’s why the Gophers had to come back from down 15 in the second half. The Eagles started the second half on a 21-7 run.
“We were never shook. Coach was just telling us don’t stress out. We have 10-plus minutes left in the game, this is not the end. Just came in confident,” Williams said. “Just doing everything we can to help the team.”
The Gophers actually had a chance to win in regulation, but Ihnen missed a pair from the free-throw line. Makai Ashton-Langford sent the game to overtime at 70-70, scoring in the lane with 5.4 seconds to play.
Carr's driving lay-up gave Minnesota a 76-73 lead in overtime, then he hit Gach on the baseline for a reverse lay-in and a 78-73 lead. Carr and Mashburn hit free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Carr had 20 of his 22 points in the second half and overtime.
Minnesota got the win despite shooting just 6-of-25 from three-point range, and 23-of-33 from the free-throw line.
Mashburn scored a season-high 10 points, added three rebounds, three assists, didn’t have a turnover and was active on the defensive end in the second half. The Gophers forced Boston College into 16 turnovers and contested shots in the final 14 minutes.
“I just try every night to be a pest on the defensive end. Just help the team in any way I can. My biggest role when I get in the game is to be the best defender out there. The offense will take care of itself,” Mashburn said.
The Gophers have been tested by themselves, opponents and COVID-19 five games into the season. So far, so good at 5-0.