It was 30 below outside, but inside the Target Center and Williams Arena two teams with Minnesota on their chest both got hard-earned Ws, and that doesn't happen everyday.
The Gophers avenged their embarrassing defeat down at Champagne, beating Illinois 86-75 with a 49 point 2nd half after trailing 39-37 at the half and 47-42 early in the 2nd.
The Timberwolves got a last second put-back from Karl Towns to edge the Memphis Grizzlies 99-97 in OT in a defensive slugfest.
Gophers
The Gophers put together a 27-6 run over 8 minutes of the 2nd half to turn a 47-42 deficit into a 69-53 lead. Amir Coffey scored 8 points, Gabe Kalscheur it a pair of 3s and a pair of throws for 8 points and while Isaiah Washington came off the bench to contribute 5 points and 3 assists to the run.
For the night, Coffey, Jordan Murphy, Kalscheur, Washington and Daniel Oturu all scored in double figures. Murphy added 10 boards for yet another double-double, and Eric Curry scored just 4 points but added 4 assists, 3 of them during the big 2nd half run.
The Gophers shot 50 percent from the field to Illinois' 45, and that was enough to get the win.
Timberwolves
The Wolves led Memphis 89-84 at the 5 minute mark but needed a last-second finger role from, who else?, Jerryd Bayless (!) to force OT. Bayless scored again in OT, and again, then Andrew Wiggins missed a last-second shot but Towns took the rebound away from Marc Gasol and put up a tough fallaway jumper on the baseline and it went in.
Bayless, the Wolves 4th--that is to say, their desperation fill-in at the point guard--had a terrific game with 19 points, 7 boards and 12 assists. Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose and Tyus Jones are all out and the Wolves were pretty much without hope, right? Well, Bayless pulled a Derrick Rose maneuver, suddenly finding his pre-injury game and becoming the best player on the floor for the 1st time in how many years?
Towns matched Jordan Murphy with 16 points and 10 boards, Wiggins added 12-5 and 4 assists, and Taj Gibson 10-5 and 4 steals including typing up Gasol and then winning a jump ball, leading to the game-winning shot.
Player of the Day--Bayless
Team of the Day--Gophers
Coach of the Day--Ryan Saunders
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