In a game where he scored a career-high 23 points, freshman center Thomas Bryant scored four of those when his team needed it most.
The Hoosiers, who led by as much as 16 in the first half, found themselves down one at the end.
With less than two minutes left, Bryant grabbed the offensive rebound off junior forward Troy Williams’ miss and scored to put the Hoosiers back on top.
On IU’s next possession, senior guard Yogi Ferrell drove down the court and dished to Bryant for the dunk. Ferrell then went 4-of-4 from the free-throw line to seal a 74-68 win over Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.
“I felt like Thomas stayed with it even when calls didn’t go his way,” Ferrell said. “He kept his head, he played great defense, he rebounded well for us. He had that push for us with those few points in the paint.”
The Gophers didn’t seem to have an answer for Bryant in the first half.
He scored six-straight points to keep his team in the game after Minnesota started with a 7-0 advantage. The freshman already had 11 points midway through the first half.
Bryant was the inside presence IU needed as it struggled to shoot from long range. The Hoosiers’ first 3-point basket didn’t come until the 5:40 mark of the first half. IU Coach Tom Crean said although his team finished just 2-of-18 from beyond the arc, he isn’t worried about the shooting.
But it helps when his center played the way he did Saturday.
“He made adjustments inside the game,” Crean said. “He was always a presence. I think he got better as the game went on.”
Bryant, who is averaging almost 12 points per game, hasn’t been as productive on the defensive end as he has been offensively. Against Wisconsin on Tuesday, Bryant struggled to guard Badger forward Ethan Happ, who put up 25 points.
Crean said defense has been a focus for Bryant, and he liked the way the freshman played Saturday.
Although Bryant was a clear difference maker against the Gophers, Crean said they wouldn’t have won without all three of IU’s freshmen. Freshman forward OG Anunoby scored eight points and collected six rebounds.
He, Bryant and freshman forward Juwan Morgan combined for 18 of IU’s rebounds.
Bryant said he’s always confident with the ball in his hands, but he’s just as confident without it — he likes to see all of his teammates making plays. It could be any one of them on any given night.
Last time against Minnesota, it was senior guard Nick Zeisloft coming off the bench to score 15.
In Madison, Wisconsin, on Tuesday it was Ferrell who tallied 30 points.
“That’s what’s so special about our team — different guys are going to step up different nights,” Ferrell said. “And tonight it was Thomas.”
