Jan. 8--The good, the bad and the ugly

A bad week just got worse, at least over on University Avenue. Just like the women just last night, the Gopher men put up a pretty good first half, then collapsed in the 2nd. Leading 54-47, they got outscored 35-13 down the stretch. Maryland shot 54/60/89 percent. The Gophers shot a respectable 42/37 but just 38/30 in the 2nd half. Oh, and they shot 39 percent from the line, 29 percent in the disastrous 2nd half.

Maryland played a whack-a-Murphy defense, holding him to just 3 FGA. They put him on the line a little bit and came up smelling roses as Murph made 3-of-9 throws. Amir Coffey made 3-of-8. Maryland had a 39-28 edge in rebounding. The final was 82-67.

Welcome Ryan Saunders

The Timberwolves latest trade--you know, Thibs for Ryan Saunders--smells like a whole bouquet of roses right now, as the Wolves won on the road in the west for only the 2nd time this season, 119-117 at OKC. The Thunder missed 2 potential game-winning shots and another that could have tied it, all in the final 7 seconds.

The Wolves led 96-93 after 3 and then 106-97 when OKC roared back to within 106-105, then took leads of 111-110, 113-112 and 115-114. Andrew Wiggins hit a pair of throws and Josh Okogie hit a 3 to make it 119-115 at :28. Westbrook hit a pair of throws at :21 and Tyus Jones traveled at :15 to set up the last-second dramatics.

Wiggins scored 40 with 16-of-18 FT (!) but was still just -3. Dario Saric at +22, Anthony Tolliver +14 and Jones at +13 led the way for the Wolves.

High School Drama

There was drama in the high schools too, well, at Eden Prairie anyway. Minnehaha edged the snake-bit Eagles 61-60 as Jalen Suggs scored 18 for the RedHawks.

DeLaSalle held off Mpls. North 66-57 as Tyrell Terry scored 23.

And, well, not much drama down at St. Thomas where Mahtomedi shocked the Tommies 80-49. Not a typo, people. Eighty to forty-nine. And they did it without J'Vonne Hadley going totally nuts, though he did score 26.

Game of the Day--Timberwolves win in Ryan Saunders debut

Player of the Day--J'Vonne Hadley

Team of the Day--Mahtomedi

Coach of the Day--Ryan Saunders, who else?