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Minnesota Shuts Down Indiana

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From the Associated Press

After watching Zach Puchtel give an intense effort during practice Friday, Coach Dan Monson informed the seldom-used center that he would start against Indiana’s dominant big man, Marco Killingsworth.

“I was shocked,” Puchtel said. “I thought it was a dream at first.”

Puchtel provided a spark in Minnesota’s 61-42 victory over the 13th-ranked Hoosiers on Sunday at Minneapolis.

The Gophers, 10-8 overall, 1-6 Big Ten, ended a six-game losing streak and handed Indiana its most lopsided defeat of the season.

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Looking to energize his struggling team, Monson started Puchtel, who had played only 38 minutes this season, and freshman guard Jamal Abu-Shamala in place of usual starters Spencer Tollackson and Moe Hargrow.

Puchtel finished with six points and played solid defense against Killingsworth, holding him to 15 points. Abu-Shamala had seven points.

The Gophers held Indiana to 32% shooting, including five for 23 from three-point range. The Hoosiers (12-5, 4-3) entered the week leading the nation in three-point shooting (46%) and were second in overall shooting percentage (51%).

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No. 9 West Virginia 66, St. John’s 61 -- The Mountaineers (15-4, 6-0 Big East) made only one basket during the final 11 minutes at Madison Square Garden and almost squandered a 13-point lead. The Red Storm (10-8, 3-4) got to within 62-60 with 30 seconds left, but Mike Gansey made four free throws in the last 14 seconds to clinch the victory.

No. 15 North Carolina State 94, Clemson 85 -- Ilian Evtimov scored 11 of his season-high 22 points in the two overtime periods to lead the Wolfpack (16-4, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) past the host Tigers (14-6, 3-4). Evtimov made four consecutive free throws in the second overtime before Cameron Bennerman’s three-point basket gave the Wolfpack an 86-79 lead with 2:18 left.

No. 20 Boston College 66, Georgia Tech 64 -- The Eagles (16-4, 4-3 ACC) made 14 of 16 free throws down the stretch, including two by Tyrese Rice with eight seconds left, to clinch the victory at Boston. The victory avenged a last-minute loss to the Yellow Jackets (9-9, 2-5) this month at Atlanta.

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Seton Hall 68, No. 25 Syracuse 61 -- Jamar Nutter made a long three-point basket with 1:55 left to break a 59-59 tie, and Donald Copeland followed with another three-pointer with 72 seconds left to help the visiting Pirates (12-6, 3-3 Big East) hand the Orange (15-6, 3-4) its fourth consecutive defeat.

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