• Recap
• Bleachers

Minnesota keeps Michigan skidding

Jan 23, 2011 - 5:23 AM Ann Arbor, MI (Sports Network) - Ralph Sampson III and Trevor Mbakwe both scored 13 points, and No. 15 Minnesota held on for a 69-64 victory over Michigan, sending the Wolverines to their sixth straight loss.

Blake Hoffarber added 12 points and Rodney Williams scored 10 for the Golden Gophers (15-4, 4-3 Big Ten), who snapped a four-game losing streak to Michigan with their third straight win overall.

The Wolverines (11-9, 1-6) got 20 points from Tim Hardaway Jr. and 11 apiece from Zack Novak and Darius Morris, but remained winless since a victory over Penn State on January 2.

"It's easy to see why Minnesota's off to a great start," said Michigan head coach John Beilein. "As good as we can be against the zone, we weren't today."

Michigan took a 29-24 lead with 2:18 remaining in the first half on Matt Vogrich three-pointer. But the Gophers responded with a 14-0 run that bled into the second half.

Maverick Ahanmisi's jumper gave Minnesota a 31-29 lead at halftime, and his three-pointer early in the second half capped the burst and gave the Gophers a 38-29 lead.

The Wolverines responded with a 12-2 run, however, and took their final lead of the game when Morris' three made it 41-40 with 11:19 remaining.

Sampson's bucket at the other end gave Minnesota the lead for good. The Gophers went ahead by as many as 10 points twice, the first time on Sampson's layup with 2:46 left in the game.

Hardaway hit a three-pointer and Morris buried a jumper to get Michigan within five points on two separate trips down the court in the last 29 seconds.

But the Gophers were good enough at the foul line to ice the win, their first against Michigan since February 21, 2008, in head coach Tubby Smith's first year at the helm.

Game Notes

Minnesota shot 63 percent for the game, including 68 percent in the second half...The Wolverines shot 43 percent from the field while chucking up 35 three-pointers (they made 12)...Michigan leads the all-time series, 82-65.