Getting run out of a building on the road was supposed to be behind this rejuvenated Gophers men’s basketball team.

Nebraska’s Juwan Gary (4) celebrates after making a three point shot against Minnesota during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska defeated Minnesota 73-55. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)

On Sunday, Minnesota’s bus driver and airline pilot could have started their vehicles midway through the second half.

The Gophers were shut down by the Cornhuskers in a 73-55 loss at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb. It was the U’s lowest scoring output of the season; they previously managed 58 in an 18-point loss to San Francisco on Nov. 26.

Ben Johnson agreed it was over before it was over, sitting four starters on the bench for the final three minutes.

The Gophers (17-10, 8-8 Big Ten) needed a road upset over Nebraska to earn a Quad 1 win and the NET ranking boost that comes with it in order to keep their increasingly unlikely NCAA tournament resume alive. Instead, the 7.5-point underdog Gophers fell to 1-6 in Quad 1 games.

“This time of year when teams are battling for every single win, there is a sense of desperation and there is a sense of just physicality that it takes and requires to win games when teams are hungry,” Johnson said on the KFAN postgame show. “From here on out every team is going to be hungry, every team is going to be fighting to try to find a win to continue their season. We haven’t been in that position before. That is the learning experience.”

The Cornhuskers (20-8, 10-7) showed why they are now 9-0 in conference home games this season: their defense.

Minnesota managed to shoot just 31 percent from the field and 26 percent from 3-point range. The Gophers’ front court of Dawson Garcia and Pharrel Payne combined for 13 points and 3-of-12 shooting.

“The physical presence of them really bothered us more than it probably should have,” Johnson said. “Credit to them. They really climbed into the ball. They made things tough in the paint. They came at us with bodies, and we just didn’t handle that well.”

The Gophers’ defense did well against Keisei Tominaga (6 points) and Rienk Mast (10), but Juwan Gary led all scorers with 22 points, including a game-high four 3-pointers.

It was an ugly opening 12 minutes for each team, with poor shooting, especially from 3-point range, and cover-your-eyes turnovers adding up on both ends of the court.

Nebraska busted out of the funk, while the Gophers continued to struggle with the Cornhuskers’ defense, including post-doubles leading to late shot-clock situations.

The Gophers shot 28 percent from the field and endured three scoring droughts of at least three minutes apiece. They had seven turnovers peppered in throughout the opening 20 minutes. They finished with 13 giveaways.

One of the best examples of how discombobulated the Gophers were: Elijah Hawkins threw an alley-oop, but Josh Ola-Joseph didn’t jump up for it. Turnover.

They managed only 20 points in the first half— their lowest total this season, but still only trailed by eight points because Nebraska ended the half without a basket over the final four minutes.

Minnesota had managed only 24 points in the first half against Nebraska on Dec. 6, but overcame a 17-point deficit to earn its first conference win of the season, 76-65, at Williams Arena. The U lost Garcia to an ankle injury, but five players scored in double figures in the comeback.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said the Gophers were tougher than his team in December, according to Big Ten Network, but there was no doubt those roles reversed Sunday.

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