Exactly two years after its last Big Ten victory, the curse plaguing the Northwestern men’s basketball team is still very much alive.
Despite a fiery start and a standout performance from point guard Collier Drayton, the Wildcats (8-15, 0-10 Big Ten) could not maintain their inspired play, falling 66-59 to Minnesota (16-7, 4-6) Wednesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena before 3,346 fans. NU could not overcome Golden Gophers forward Dusty Rychart’s fluid inside play and Minnesota’s crippling zone defense and shot only 34 percent for the game.
The contest’s opening sequence looked promising for NU, with forward Tavaras Hardy winning the opening tip and getting a feed in the paint for a quick layup. Surprisingly enough, at only 6-foot-8, Hardy was the tallest starter on the floor and was able to establish an early presence down low. For the first three minutes, the Cats’ offense played with an ease rarely seen this season, pouncing on Minnesota 11-2.
Then an unusual turn of events doomed NU’s upset hopes.
With the Cats leading 8-2, Ben Johnson took a perfect feed from Drayton, streaked down the lane and gently laid the ball in, drawing a foul from Minnesota guard John-Blair Bickerstaff in the process. But while Johnson celebrated the potential three-point play, Bickerstaff writhed in pain on the baseline as Gophers coaches and trainers rushed out to his aid.
The stomach-turning result: Bickerstaff had broken his right leg in the same place he had last season: His season and his college career were over. Both teams retired to their benches for 15 minutes during an unusually long delay while the Welsh-Ryan Arena staff scrambled to find a stretcher.
As he was carted from the floor, Bickerstaff, the Gophers’ captain, flashed a ‘V’ sign toward his teammates, most of whom had their heads bowed. Yet that signal triggered something in the Gophers, who came out of the break with a swarming zone defense and a refined shooting touch. Minnesota clawed back into the game and took its first lead at 17-16 when forward Rychart completed a three-point play.
“It’s a tribute to the rest of the players that they were able to rally and dig that game out,” said choked-up Minnesota coach Dan Monson. “He’s kind of been the heart and character of our team, and he’s obviously rubbed off on the other guys because they were very resilient tonight.”
While the Gophers surged, the Cats were sluggish after the injury timeout, missing open shots and turning the ball over three times in as many minutes. The fire of a possible streak-snapping win seemed to die down for NU, which fell behind 33-28 at halftime.
“We come out strong and we’re in the huddle saying ‘All right, we can’t let up, we can’t let up, we’ve got to come out fast,'” center Aaron Jennings said. “You sit down so long and it’s just hard to start a game over after you have played two-and-a-half minutes.”
Despite a Ben Johnson three-pointer 26 seconds into second half, NU could inch no closer than three points for the rest of the game. Minnesota’s combination of forwards Travarus Bennett (16 points) and Rychart (14 points) plowed through the paint while the Cats’ offense continued to commit turnovers and shoot poorly.
The game’s officiating also frustrated NU’s efforts, particularly Hardy’s. The center picked up his third and fourth fouls in a span of 27 seconds in the second half. Trailing 47-43 with 10:06 to play, Drayton pumped his fist in anger after being called for a hand-checking foul. Despite playing all 40 minutes and tallying seven points and six steals, Drayton was clearly disappointed with the result.
“I don’t care if I play 10 games of 40 minutes. We came out with a loss, which is frustrating – especially in a game which we could have won,” he said.
Although Drayton said the team was prepared for Minnesota’s zone, the Cats looked confused on offense, rotating the ball around the perimeter while the shot clock wasted away. NU shot only 27 percent from behind the arc, and its top two shooters – Johnson and forward Winston Blake – combined to shoot 7-for-30 from the field.
With 13 costly turnovers and a 33 percent (3-for-9) free throw percentage in the second half, the Cats lost sight of their opponent. A Terrance Simmons’ three-pointer with 3:42 remaining extended the Gophers lead to 10, capping off their first Big Ten road victory.
“Sometimes the closer (losses) are worse than the ones when you get massacred,” Carmody said. “It’s maybe not the way it should feel, but it does. You try to work hard for the whole game and your guys are working hard.”
