MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Vincent Grier scored 16 of his 19 points in the first half as Minnesota defeated Holy Cross 72-56 on Saturday.
Minnesota (3-3) blistered the Crusaders with outside shooting, led by freshman Rico Tucker, who hit 4-of-5 3-pointers en route to 15 points. For the game, the Gophers shot 63 percent from the floor, including 15-of-23 in the first half, when they used their transition game to set up many easy baskets.
Trailing 16-12 in the second period, Minnesota scored 17 straight points in seven minutes. Grier had 10 points in the run, converting three fast-break baskets, and Tucker hit a 3-pointer as the Gophers took a 29-16 lead.
Pat Doherty's 3-pointer as the clock ran out to cut Minnesota's halftime lead to 39-28.
Kevin Hamilton led the Crusaders (3-2) with 22 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the 3-point line. But Holy Cross shot just 36 percent as a team for the game.
Minnesota matched Holy Cross basket-for-basket in the second half, as Brent Lawson scored nine of his 11 points after the break. The Crusaders never got closer than eight points.
Jeff Hagen chipped in 12 points off the bench for Minnesota, while freshman Spencer Tollackson made his first collegiate start, scoring seven points and grabbing six rebounds.
