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Final Score: Wisconsin 52 - Minnesota 68

Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Blake Hoffarber led a balanced Golden Gophers attack with 16 points and nine rebounds, as Minnesota rose to the occasion with a surprisingly easy 68-52 victory over 14th-ranked Wisconsin in Big Ten play from Williams Arena.

Damian Johnson added 11 points, Ralph Sampson III donated 10 points and eight rebounds and Devoe Johnson amassed 10 points for Minnesota (15-10, 6-7 Big Ten), which kept its at-large hopes alive and avoided a three-game slide.

"That was a good game, a good win. Our guys did a fantastic job. They maintained their poise throughout the game," said Minnesota head coach Tubby Smith.

Trevon Hughes led the Badgers (19-7, 9-5) with 19 points and Jason Bohannon added 18 for Wisconsin, which has dropped two of three and suffered its worst defeat of the campaign.

Wisconsin scored the game's first six points, but Minnesota followed by reeling off 14 of the next 16 capped by Hoffarber's trey for a six-point edge. The margin wavered around that number until the Golden Gophers made four consecutive free throws at the end of the half for a 35-26 game.

The Badgers drew within four at 41-37 on Bohannon's second triple in less than a minute. The guard hit another trey for a 45-42 difference just with just under 10 minutes to play.

However, Wisconsin then went about eight minutes without a field goal and Minnesota scored the next 13 points to take control. Sampson's slam capped the stretch for a 58-42 game.

"We clawed back to 41-37 then to 47-42 we get three straight wide open looks off of two offensive rebounds. Then somebody is going to tell me that we go eight minutes without hitting a shot in there," said Badgers head coach Bo Ryan.

Minnesota rolled to victory from there.