EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - Amir Coffey gave the Gopher men's basketball team just the jolt it needed, while the Gopher women fizzled down the stretch again.
Coffey tied a career high with 32 points and set one with 12 rebounds to lead Minnesota to a 62-50 victory over Northwestern on Thursday night.
In Piscataway, NJ, the Gopher women saw a late lead evaporate in a dismal fourth quarter as they fell at Rutgers 60-54.
GOPHER MEN
The Golden Gophers (18-11, 8-10 Big Ten) had dropped six of seven to jeopardize their NCAA Tournament hopes. But with Coffey leading the way, Minnesota got the win it needed and snapped a six-game road losing streak in the process.
"These last couple games are really important for Big Ten Tournament seeding and obviously a tournament bid," Coffey said. "We're trying to pick up as many as we can."
Minnesota has two tough games left - at home against No. 14 Purdue and at No. 17 Maryland - before the conference tournament begins.
Maybe this will help point the Gophers back toward the NCAA for the second time in three years.
Coffey played all 40 minutes while matching a high for points he set against Nebraska in December and easily surpassing his previous best of seven rebounds. The 6-foot-8 junior made 12 of 19 shots overall - 3 of 6 3-pointers. And it wasn't too hard to figure out why coach Richard Pitino kept him in the entire way.
"Why do you think? Thirty-two points. Twelve rebounds," Pitino said. "I'm not that bad of a coach. You've got to let him roll. He wasn't tired. He's reliable. He's durable. He's a talented, talented player."
Last-place Northwestern (12-16, 3-14) has lost nine straight and is on its worst skid since dropping 10 in a row during the 2014-15 season.
The streak includes tight losses to Top 25 teams Iowa and Wisconsin. But Northwestern never really challenged in this one.
The Gophers are now 2-8 away from Williams Arena, with Thursday's win their first on the road since winning at Wisconsin on Jan. 3.
"It felt good that our guys could perform with our backs against the wall and that we could definitely perform under pressure. We actually needed this win. We were able to get some momentum going into our next game on Tuesday," said Minnesota's Jordan Murphy.
GOPHER WOMEN
The Gophers (19-9, 8-9) lost another tough one Thursday to Rutgers when they blew another second-half lead. That bumped them down to a three-way tie for 8th in the conference standings with one regular-season game left to play.
The top ten teams in the league standings receive byes in the tournament, with the top four getting double-byes.
"I think our expectations got ramped up in the non-conference," head coach Lindsay Whalen said. "We hung in there. We wanted to make the NCAA Tournament. That's been a goal. We still have some work to do."
The Gophers led the Scarlet Knights for much of the first three quarters on Thursday night.
They were out-scored 22-12 in the fourth quarter.
Star guard Kenisha Bell has been happy to have Whalen as her coach.
"It's been pretty fun. She knows our playing style and what we like to do," Bell said. "She's been helping us get to where we want to be."
Bell recalled how shocked the team was when Whalen was introduced as the coach.
"It was a surprise, they didn't tell us. We were watching film in the film room. All the film started showing Lindsay Whalen when she was a Gopher and then when she was a Lynx player on the court," the senior said. "After the video ended, she walked through the door. When she came in the film room, our mouths just dropped. We were like, `What? Is this a joke?'
"She's been there and she knows what it takes to get to the NCAA Tournament and Final Four. Great to have someone with experience come in and be able to coach us and do the things she did in the past."
Minnesota will most likely need to put together a run in the Big Ten Tournament to reach the NCAAs. Whalen isn't concerned.
"I'll give us a shot in every game every night," she said. "A month ago, we were struggling and not playing well. As long as we come out with that energy we've had lately we have a chance in every game."
BIG PICTURE
Gopher men: Coffey will need some help if Minnesota is going to beat Purdue and Maryland, which means they'll likely need a strong showing in the Big Ten tournament to make the NCAA field.
Gopher women: The Gophers remain stuck on 19 wins and have lost two straight after having a six-game winning streak snapped.
UP NEXT
Gopher men hosts Purdue on Tuesday.
Gopher women host Michigan State on Sunday.