INDIANAPOLIS — 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.
