NU Stumbles At Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Dusty Rychart scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half and Michael Bauer had 15 points Saturday night to lead Minnesota past Nebraska, 81-72.

John Robinson made four 3-pointers on his way to 14 points as the Cornhuskers (6-3) kept the game close by hitting 13 of 22 from long range.

It was the third straight loss for Nebraska. Rick Rickert had 14 points for Minnesota (7-3), which has won three straight.

The Cornhuskers' first six baskets of the second half were all 3-pointers, including a pair by Robinson that brought them within 50-48 with 10:10 to play.

Rychart answered with a three-point play to ignite a 9-2 run that put the Gophers back in control at 61-50 with 8:24 left. Rychart, a senior, played the entire second half with cotton sticking out of his right nostril after getting hit in the nose while battling for a rebound in the first half.

Nebraska crept back into it, and Ross Buckendahl's layup with 2:30 to play cut the deficit to 72-70. But Kevin Burleson completed a three-point play and a basket by Rychart made it 77-70 with 1:04 left.

Cary Cochran had three 3-pointers in the game to give him 204 for his career at Nebraska, breaking the school mark of 202 held by Eric Piatkowski. Cochran finished with 11 points.

Nebraska opened the game with consecutive 3-pointers by Cochran and Jake Muhleisen, but Bauer scored Minnesota's first eight points and a 3-pointer by Rick Rickert tied the game at 12-12 with just under 15 minutes left in the half.

Robinson's 3-pointer gave the Cornhuskers a 21-17 lead midway through the half. But Kerwin Fleming hit a pair of 3-pointers and Bauer scored five points in a 21-8 run over the final 8:15 of the half, giving Minnesota a 38-30 led at the break.