Gophers advance to play Ohio State Thursday in Big Ten Tourney
Minnesota's Marcus Carr (5) and Jamal Mashburn Jr. (4) react after Minnesota defeated Northwestern in an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten Conference tournament, Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Indianapolis. Minnesota won 51-46.[(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)]
Tre Williams scored 14 points and Jamal Mashburn Jr. 11 and Minnesota snapped a seven-game skid with a 51-46 win over Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Conference tournament.
The Golden Gophers advance to play fifth seed, and No. 9 ranked, Ohio State on Thursday.
Minnesota pulled out the win despite shooting a paltry 37% (18 for 49) while making just 10 of 24 (42%) from the foul line. Down the stretch, however, the Wildcats didn’t help their cause when, with a 46-39 lead with 4:20 to go, they never scored again.
Marcus Carr drained back-to-back fadeaway jumpers and 2 of 3 foul shots in a 90-second span and the Golden Gophers led 49-46. Miller Kopp led Northwestern with nine points.