MINNEAPOLIS – Rutgers (6-2, 0-1) had five players post double digits in a hard-fought 89-67 defeat at No. 12 Minnesota (8-1, 1-0) Sunday evening in the Big Ten opener for both schools. The Gophers pulled away late before 11,097 fans at Williams Arena.

Freshman Mamadou Doucoure led the quintet in double-figure scoring with 13 points, while adding nine rebounds. Deshawn Freeman had a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards. Geo Baker added 12 points, while Eugene Omoruyi had 11 and Corey Sanders 12.

The Gophers were led by 26 points from Nate Mason. Jordan Murphy added 18 points and 16 rebounds. Minnesota shot 46 percent, with RU depositing 32 percent from the field.

The game was back and forth in the early going. Rutgers took a 7-6 lead, then after a Gophers' spurt, used six consecutive points from Omoruyi to get back within two at 18-16.

RU then hit a shooting slump, as a stretch of one made field goal in 14 attempts allowed the Gophers to push its lead to double-digits at 31-21.

Just before the final media timeout of the frame, a quick spurt for the visitors brought the deficit within six. Sanders drove to the hoop for a score, then Freeman intercepted an entry pass and put the ball home for four points in a nine-second span.

A four-point play from Mason extended the Gophers lead to double-digits at 39-28. The home squad took a 10-point, 43-33, lead into intermission.

The Scarlet Knights held a 28-21 advantage in rebounds in the opening half.

Rutgers came out of the locker room hot, making its first four shots, including a three-pointer from Sanders. The defense clamped down on the Gophers, forcing a scoring drought of three minutes to pull within 56-48 at the under-12 media timeout. Then it was four straight points from Doucoure, as his presence underneath allowed RU to pull within eight points at 60-52.

Minnesota responded with a 7-0 run, pushing its lead to 71-54. RU had a counter-punch, as three-pointers from Issa Thiam and Baker swished through, cutting the Gophers advantage to 74-62 with five minutes to play. The home squad pulled away down the stretch, however.

Rutgers will return home to host No. 3 Michigan State on Tuesday night. The game will tipoff at 7 p.m. on BTN.

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Postgame Notes

• Mamadou Doucoure set career-highs with 13 points and nine rebounds.
• Corey Sanders had double-digit points for the 50^th time in his career.
• Deshawn Freeman (10 points, 12 rebounds) had his third double-double of the season and 13^th of his career.
• Freeman reached double-digit points for seventh time this season and 31^st time in his career
• Freeman reached double-digit rebounds for third time this season and 15^th time in his career.
• Geo Baker reached double-figure scoring for the fifth time this season.
• Euguene Omoruyi reached double figure scoring for the fourth time this season.
• Rutgers had five players score in double-figures for the first time this season. It was the first time RU had at least five players score in double figures since six players did so on Nov. 13, 2016.
• Minnesota leads the all-time series 7-1 and is 4-0 at home versus Rutgers.

 
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell Postgame Quotes
On the game

"We played a really good team on the road today. I have them a lot of credit. I knew it would be a tough game coming in. Jordan Murphy is a terrific player, he had a double-double. Nate Mason showed why he's a First Team All-Big Ten player tonight. We can't give up 89 points in a game at home, on the road, or anywhere else. Our defense wasn't what I was hoping for. You have to play great defense to win against a team like this."

"We just weren't able to click and make some timely shots. I thought we got some decent looks which could have cut the game. We struggled all night and didn't play Rutgers defense. We're one of the best defensive teams in the country, and we didn't show that tonight."

On Mamadou Doucoure
"He's getting better. He's a real coachable kid, I like him a lot. He and Geo Baker have been pressed into service as freshmen. You can see some of the potential in him."

Minnesota Head Coach Richard Pitino

Opening statement...
"Happy to get the win, Big Ten wins are hard to come by. I thought when we started rebounding the ball, that's when we pulled away. It was good to get back into that flow with Dupree in there. I thought we were better all-around defensively and more connected, and just felt more comfortable. It wasn't a masterpiece, but Rutgers tends to do that to you. But, to win by 22 in this league is hard to do so happy with it."

On Rutgers' rebounding...
"I think they surprised us at that first media timeout. They're physical. Once coach Pikiell gets all of his recruits in there, that's going to be a very good team because he is a very good coach, they play hard, they play together, they play tough, so I think we were a little bit shocked at first, but then, once the game went on we were able to adjust and rebound the ball pretty well."