The Minnesota Golden Gophers were stifled by the 1-3-1 zone defense of the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Raiders cruised past the Golden Gophers, 81-72, on the heels of an impressive 19-point performance by Reggie Upshaw. Minnesota was dominated in nearly every phase of the game after opening on a 7-0 run. The Gophers ended their season with a 24-10 record, after finishing the previous season 8-23.
The Rundown
Minnesota came out with a ton of energy on both ends of the court. The Gophers started the game on a 7-0 run, sparked by an Amir Coffey three-pointer and a Reggie Lynch finish in traffic.