By the time Austin Hollins swished his fifth 3-pointer in a span of 3 1/2 minutes, that sluggish start by Minnesota was long forgotten. The ninth-ranked Gophers smothered Northwestern with their usual relentless defense and ran away with the game once they found their shot. Hollins scored 17 of his 19 points during Minnesota's big second-half surge and the Gophers won 69-51 on Sunday night, picking up more momentum in their long quest to join the Big Ten's elite under coach Tubby Smith.
