The Gophers men’s basketball team tried to hang its hat on strong defensive numbers through the first stage of nonconference play.
So much for that element.
Minnesota turned in two uncompetitive Big Ten games and started conference play at 0-2 after a 82-67 loss to Indiana at Assembly Hall on Monday in Bloomington, Ind.
The Gophers (6-5, 0-2 Big Ten) also allowed 90 points to Michigan State last Wednesday. The U also had a poor 0-2 start to conference play two years ago — falling 89-70 to No. 5 Purdue and 90-75 to Michigan in 2022.
Gophers coach Ben Johnson wanted more intensity coming out of the Spartans loss and told Big Ten Network they had “combative practice” in the last week. It didn’t translate much.
Indiana (8-2, 1-0) was a 9.5-point favorite and pretty much rode a 44-31 lead to the finish.
The U allowed the Hoosiers to shoot a season high 63% in the first half, including advantages in points in the paint (26-16) and in transition (14-6). Those numbers evened out in the second half, but the damage was done.
The Hoosiers boasted five players in double figures, and its bench outscored Minnesota 29-12.
The Gophers were led by Dawson Garcia with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
The Gophers’ offense started strong but dried up midway through the first half. Minnesota missed seven straight shots over nearly eight minutes until Mike Mitchell hit a transition 3-pointer with just under four minutes remaining.
Michell returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the win over Omaha on Nov. 9. He came in off the bench from a seven-game absence to score 17 points in the 90-72 loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten opener last Wednesday.
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