Field Level Media
Dec 15, 2019
Marcus Carr scored 28 of his career high 35 points in the second half when Minnesota knocked No. 3 Ohio State from the ranks of the unbeaten with an 84-71 victory at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sunday.
Daniel Oturu had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Gabe Kalscheur added 15 points as the Golden Gophers (5-5, 1-1 Big Ten) got their first win over a top-three team since beating No.1 Indiana on Feb. 26, 2013.
Freshman D.J. Carton had a career best 19 points and Kaleb Wesson 12 for the Buckeyes (9-1, 1-1).
Home teams in the Big Ten are 13-0 this season.
Minnesota, which had a 38-29 halftime lead, shot 54 percent from the floor and held Ohio State to 38 percent.
Ohio State trailed 45-36 when the Golden Gophers went on an 8-2 run. The lead reached 18 before OSU pulled to within 69-60 with 3:50 left. Carr then made a traditional 3-point for a 72-60 advantage with 3:30 left.
His previous best was 24 points.
The Buckeyes played without starting guard Duane Washington Jr., who is second on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game. The team announced Sunday morning he would not play because of a rib injury. Senior forward Andre Wesson started for him.
Minnesota's guard play was vastly better than during a 72-52 loss at Iowa in the its previous game when Kalscheur and Carr combined for two points on 1 of 20 shooting.
Ohio State went 0 for 7 from the floor in a 6:11 stretch and was outscored 13-2 to trail 24-16 with seven minutes left in the first half.
The Gophers entered the game having played 17th toughest schedule in the country based on the oppositions' winning percentage of 72.6 percent.
OSU returns home to play Southeast Missouri on Tuesday.
The Golden Gophers play Saturday vs. Oklahoma State in Tulsa, Okla. -- about an hour from the Cowboys campus in Stillwater.
--Field Level Media