The Minnesota Golden Gophers couldn’t find their shot on Tuesday night as they went cold from the floor in a 70-45 loss to Ohio State.
The Gophers stayed in the game throughout the first half thanks to their defense. With the Buckeyes unable to get going, Jamison Battle gave Minnesota an early lead with a pair of three-pointers.
It's b a t t l e time đź—ˇ. @battletime510 // @GopherMBB pic.twitter.com/vQD4l3GF69
— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) February 16, 2022
Despite the early treys, the Gophers couldn’t buy a shot. Minnesota shot just 33 percent from the floor in the opening half and 29.4 percent on the night. But a 10-0 run helped them go into the locker room with a 25-23 lead at halftime.
The second half was where the Buckeyes made their move. Behind Jamari Wheeler’s 13 points, Ohio State built a double-digit lead early in the second half and never gave it up.
While Battle led Minnesota with 13 points on the night, the Gophers shot just 5-for-19 on 3-pointers. Eventually, the Buckeyes turned to E.J. Liddell who pounded Minnesota in the paint. With 16 points and 10 rebounds, the junior helped lead Ohio State to victory.
Minnesota (12-11, 3-11 Big Ten) will be back in action for a Thursday matinee against Penn State.
