Chapman Edged by Minnesota : Panthers’ Shot at Buzzer Fails in 69-67 Defeat

If a moral victory had been secured, it was not evident on the faces exiting the Chapman College locker room after Saturday’s 69-67 loss to the University of Minnesota.

“I’m disappointed,” said Chapman senior Jon Samuelson, who scored 22 points in the losing effort. “I feel good about the way we played, but not quite good enough.”

Samuelson and his teammates would have felt just fine had Maurice Thompson connected on his desperation 40-foot three-point attempt at the buzzer. But the ball deflected off the front rim, sending Chapman back to California with a 4-5 record.

Chapman Coach Kevin Wilson, a former Minnesota assistant, called the game the biggest of the season for his Division II program. And despite predicting an overtime victory before the game, Wilson took some solace from moral victories.

“I bumped into (Minnesota Athletic Director) Paul Giel Friday and Paul was telling me how hard Minnesota plays,” Wilson said. “No question in my mind, or the 11 people that just stopped me outside (after Saturday’s game), that we played harder. I didn’t say better. I said harder.”

Minnesota (3-1), attempting to rebuild its program behind former Western Kentucky Coach Clem Haskins, won on Kelvin Smith’s five-foot jumper with five seconds remaining. The Gophers lost their final eight games last season after three players (Mitch Lee, Kevin Smith and George Williams) were arrested and eventually acquitted on rape charges in Madison, Wis., and another player (Todd Alexander) suspended from the team for disciplinary reasons. None of the four players returned to Minnesota this school year.

Saturday night, the Big Ten Gophers, not Chapman, played like the underdog most of the game. Chapman fell behind 6-0 in the first 2:05, then outscored Minnesota 16-2 in the next six minutes. The Panthers’ biggest lead was 32-21 on a three-point basket by Samuelson with 5:52 left in the first half.

Samuelson converted 6 of 10 three-point shot attempts, including 4 of 7 in the first half. Chapman had a 39-29 lead at the half, but Minnesota scored 10 straight points to tie the score at the start of the second half.

“I’m thrilled,” Haskins said. “A lot of times people rate teams on beating the No. 1 or No. 2 team in the country. But to have a group of young men down 10 points at halftime and come back the second half and outscore your opponent 10-zip, I’m very, very proud.”

Still, the Gophers’ problems were not over. Chapman, which trailed 45-41 four minutes into the second half, led 60-51 with 8:42 remaining.

Chapman’s rally was aided by a shoving match that resulted in the ejection of Minnesota freshman guard Terence Williams with nine minutes left. The skirmish followed a missed free throw by Minnesota’s Willie Burton. Chapman’s Karl Tompkins and Minnesota’s Richard Coffey battled on the ground for the rebound, leading to a shoving match between Williams and Chapman’s Alan Erickson. Williams received a flagrant technical, which resulted in two free throws by Kelly Huston for a 58-51 Chapman advantage.

“I felt sorry for their player who was ejected,” Wilson said. “It never should have gotten to that point. If you saw it the way I did, No. 52 for me (Tompkins) got a very clear rebound and got roll-blocked by (former Minnesota Viking) Bob Lurtsema (Coffey). We shouldn’t have had the technical and the ball out of bounds. We should have had the foul (on Coffey).”

Minnesota tied the score at 63-63 on a pair of free throws by Terence Woods with 5:18 remaining. A field goal and two free throws by Coffey put Minnesota ahead, 67-63, with three minutes to play but Chapman tied the contest on field goals by Chris Perine and Kelly Huston, the latter coming with 44 seconds remaining.

Smith’s five-footer 39 seconds later allowed the Gophers to escape.

“I think they surprised us,” Minnesota’s Smith said. “They didn’t back down from anything.”