Rock bottom
Cagers lose sixth in row, this time to Minnesota Gophers

By VITO FORLENZA
Collegian Staff Writer

Now Quincy Lewis can unofficially place his name among the Big Ten's top-class players.

By converting a desperation heave in the game's waning moments, the Minnesota forward became the latest of the conference's big guns to assassinate Penn State's hopes of finalizing an upset.

With 21 seconds remaining and the Golden Gophers clinging to a one-point advantage, Lewis fired a 3-pointer from the right wing with the shot clock dwindling and Nittany Lion guard Titus Ivory in his face.

Akin to those of Indiana's A.J. Guyton and Michigan State's Mateen Cleaves, Lewis' shot nailed its target, securing Minnesota's 69-63 win over Penn State last night in front of 9,327 at The Bryce Jordan Center.

"I credit the coaching staff for giving me that shot," Lewis said of the last of his game-high 24 points. "They just told me to put it up, and it just fell in -- luckily."

After Lions center Calvin Booth -- who led Penn State with 21 points -- hit a jump shot that brought his team within one point, the Gophers worked the ball into the hands of their best player to once again send Penn State pondering another close loss on its home court.

"I thought we defended Quincy Lewis as well as we could defend him on that play," Lions coach Jerry Dunn said. "That seems to be the story line, and it's a sick story line."

Although Penn State (10-13, 2-11 Big Ten) has lost its last six home games, the six-point disappointment to Minnesota was by the widest margin.

However, Penn State is still 2-10 in its last 12 games, has lost six in a row overall and has not won at home since Jan. 2 -- a 70-52 triumph over Michigan.

"I know how he feels, I've been there," Gophers coach Clem Haskins said. "If you go back 13 years ago at Minnesota, we lost 21 Big Ten games in a row. The most important thing you as a coach can do is keep a positive attitude."

Haskins had to use that same attitude for his team, which had lost five of its last seven prior to last night's contest. But this latest outcome keeps the Gophers' (15-8, 6-7) NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

Throughout the whistle-plagued contest, however, neither team executed especially well. In a game filled with poor shot selection, 30 total turnovers and constant fouls, each team showed the reasons it has been struggling of late.

Penn State still managed to keep a continuous lead over Minnesota, but simply could not convert down the stretch.

After Ivory landed both ends of a one-and-one to give Penn State a 61-60 advantage with 2:46 left to play, the Gophers outscored the Lions 9-2 the rest of the way.

"I didn't think we shot the ball real well," Dunn said. "We ran stuff to get guys shots, and when the ball doesn't go in, you can't pull away."

Those missed opportunities are one of the key reasons Penn State constantly finds itself in such tight situations. The Lions are now 0-10 when trailing with five minutes remaining. Last night, the Gophers held a one-point advantage with five minutes left in the game.

"It's a game of spurts," Ivory said. "Sometimes it falls your way, and sometimes it doesn't."

Unfortunately for the Lions, the ball hasn't fallen their way all season.