NCAA News Wire
Minnesota 84, Wake Forest 69
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Senior guard Andre Hollins scored 27 points, hitting a career-high seven 3-point shots, as Minnesota defeated Wake Forest 84-69 in Tuesday night’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge game at Lawrence Joel Coliseum.
The Golden Gophers used perimeter shooting to help offset 20 turnovers and second-half foul trouble.
Hollins made 7 of 10 shots from beyond the arc as Minnesota won for the fourth time in a row in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge games. His 27 points represented a season high.
Guard Carlos Morris added 15 points and forward Joey King had 14 points for the Golden Gophers (5-2). Forward Maurice Walker supplied nine of his 10 points in the second half.
Miles Overton, a sophomore guard, scored a career-high 14 points for Wake Forest (4-4), which was coming off a home loss to Delaware State and has a 3-3 home mark.
Guards Codi Miller-McIntyre and Mitchell Wilbekin scored 10 points apiece for the Demon Deacons.
Hollins drained two 3-pointers in the first 65 seconds of the second half. The Golden Gophers racked up 13 points in slightly more than two minutes to begin the half, stretching their lead to 45-34.
With King’s fourth 3-pointer of the game, Minnesota moved to a 48-34 lead. The Golden Gophers hit their first seven shots of the second half and then tipped in their first miss.
Minnesota led 32-31 at halftime, failing to maintain a comfortable margin in a first half when both teams committed 11 turnovers.
Morris secured five first-half steals, but Wake Forest made better use of turnovers by scoring 18 of its first-half points off Minnesota miscues.
Minnesota broke to a 13-4 lead in less than five minutes. The edge dipped to one a couple of times before the Golden Gophers built a 32-22 margin.
Wake Forest scored the last nine points of the half.
NOTES: The teams met for the first time since Minnesota won in March 2006 at home in the NIT. … Minnesota reserve G Daquein McNeil missed his third consecutive game since he was suspended a week earlier after he was charged with two felony counts of assault. He averaged 18.8 minutes and 3.2 points per game prior the suspension. … Minnesota’s next game is Friday night at home against Western Carolina. That will be the Gophers’ first home game since Nov. 22, and it will begin a stretch of six consecutive home games. … Wake Forest’s next game will mark the ACC debut for coach Danny Manning. The Demon Deacons play a rare December conference game Saturday night at North Carolina State.
