Minnesota 63, Ohio State 53

[January 17, 2014]  MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota 63, No. 9 Ohio State 53: Elliott Eliason scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the host Golden Gophers defeated a ranked team for the first time this season.

DeAndre Mathieu scored 13 points and Andre Hollins added 10 points and six rebounds for Minnesota (14-4, 3-2 Big Ten), which also snapped a six-game losing streak to the Buckeyes. The Golden Gophers dominated inside, finishing with a 38-20 edge in points in the paint and a 39-24 rebounding advantage.

LaQuinton Ross scored a game-high 22 points to go along with a team-high six rebounds and Sam Thompson finished with 12 points for Ohio State (15-3, 2-3). The Buckeyes, who shot just 35.3 percent from the floor, have lost three straight games for the first time since February 2009.

Both teams struggled during the first half as Minnesota turned the ball over on eight of its first 12 possessions while the Buckeyes countered by going over six minutes without a field goal. Minnesota used a 8-0 run to take 27-21 lead before the Buckeyes rallied to tie it, 29-29, on a drive by Ross just before the halftime buzzer.

Ross scored nine consecutive points early in the second half to give Ohio State a 39-38 lead. But Minnesota then took control with a 7-0 run highlighted by five straight points by reserve forward Maurice Walker, and Ohio State never got closer than three points the rest of the way.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Eliason now has six double-doubles this season. ... The Buckeyes played without reserve G Amedeo Della Valle, who bruised his knee in the team's Jan. 12 loss to Iowa. ... Ross has scored 15 or more points in 10 of his last 13 games.

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