Falzon Leads Northwestern Over Minnesota 77-52

1/9/2016 3:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Wildcats improve to 4-0 in true road games

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Aaron Falzon made sure that a bump in the road didn't turn into a disaster.

Falzon tied his career-high with 20 points and Tre Demps added 13 as Northwestern defeated Minnesota 77-52 on Saturday afternoon.

Joey van Zegeren added 11 points and Bryant McIntosh had 11 assists for the Wildcats (14-3, 2-2 in the Big Ten), who had lost two straight games after opening the season 13-1. After their past two seasons were derailed by extended losing streaks, the Wildcats knew they had to nip this one in the bud.

''My first year were 5-5 and we lost seven in a row,'' Northwestern coach Chris Collins said. ''Last year we win our first game and then we lose 10 in a row. We had a tough week last week against two really good teams, Maryland and Ohio State. This was a big game for us today to kind of test where we were at as a team.''

The result was Northwestern's biggest victory ever at Minnesota's Williams Arena - and the Gophers' fifth biggest loss ever at home.

Nate Mason scored 13 points and Bakary Konate added 12 for the Gophers (6-10, 0-4), who have lost eight of their last nine games overall.

''Until I think that our identity becomes defense and rebounds, we've got no shot because we're not a great offensive team,'' said Minnesota coach Richard Pitino, whose team shot 39 percent from the floor and was outrebounded 33-17. ''I thought we actually were doing some good things, but until there's a personal individual commitment and team commitment to it, it's going to be really, really hard.''

Falzon, a freshman forward, was 6 for 9 from the 3-point line. He hit two of them early in the second half as Northwestern quickly expanded a six-point halftime cushion and blew the game open.

The Gophers have been plagued by poor 3-point defense, and it came back to bite them again early. Falzon knocked down four 3-pointers in the game's first 11 minutes, keying a 15-2 run that put Northwestern on top 20-11.

''Everybody's more comfortable when there's no one in your face,'' Falzon said of his hot start. ''When they leave you open and you hit one or two, it kind of gets you going. From there you're just playing basketball.''

Minnesota entered the game ranked 296th in the nation in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to make 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. Northwestern made 11 of 25 3-point attempts (44 percent) and shot 56 percent overall from the floor.

Joey King, the Gophers' leading scorer, was held to three shots and three points on the day.

''Obviously we have to go back to the drawing board again,'' King said. ''It's definitely frustrating. I'm just disappointed in myself. I'm disappointed with how things are going. We're just going to have to keep fighting.''

Konate kept Minnesota in the game in the first half. The 6-foot-11 sophomore scored eight points on three dunks and a pair of free throws as the Gophers trailed just 32-26 at the break.

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NORTHWESTERN NOTES

• Northwestern improves to 14-3 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play
• The Wildcats are now 4-0 in true road games this season. It is just the second time that NU has started a season 4-0 in true road games. It also happened in 1930-31 when the Wildcats went a perfect 7-0.
• The 25-point margin of victory is the most by Northwestern in a Big Ten game since a 78-47 home win over Ohio State on Jan. 25, 1997. It's also the most by Northwestern at Minnesota, topping a 45-23 win on Feb. 23, 1931.
• Northwestern's 25-point margin of victory is its largest in a Big Ten road game since a 77-20 win at Chicago Jan. 14, 1944.
• Northwestern has won its first two Big Ten road games for the first time since the 1998-99 season when it won at Minnesota and Illinois.
• Bryant McIntosh set a career high with 11 assists. His previous best was 10 in a win over Sacred Heart Dec. 21. McIntosh entered the game ranked ninth in the nation with an average of 7.0 assists per game.
• McIntosh's 11 assists are the second most ever by a Northwestern player in a Big Ten game. Jerry Marifke recorded 12 assists vs. Wisconsin on Feb. 19, 1977.
• Aaron Falzon matched a career high with 20 points. He also scored 20 in a season-opening win over UMass Lowell Nov. 13.
• Falzon's six 3-pointers are a career high and matched a season high for a Northwestern players. Scottie Lindsey hit six triples in a win over New Orleans Nov. 28.
• Sanjay Lumpkin recorded a team-high 10 rebounds. It is his second double-figure rebounding game of the season and the seventh of his career. Lumpkin is a native of nearly Wayzata, Minnesota.
• The Wildcats connected on 11 of their first 15 field goal attempts in the second half.
• Joey van Zegeren scored 11 points, establishing a season high. His previous Northwestern high was 8 points on two occasions.