Half-Time: Gophers struggling to find rhythm on both ends of the court

The Gophers are shooting 29 percent as Minnesota trails the Purdue Boilermakers on the road, 44-27.

The 44-points scored by the Boilermakers in the first half is the most this season, thanks to an 11-point performance by senior D.J. Byrd.

On Senior Day in West Lafayette, Byrd has there rebounds and two assists to lead his team.

Freshman center A.J. Hammons is also playing a solid game, scoring eight points and blocking three shots.

Minnesota’s leading scorer is Andre Hollins who has seven points at the end of the first half, despite shooting 2-of-7 from the field.

Rodney Williams and Austin Hollins are also on the board with six points each.

The Gophers have been caught out of position multiple times, leading to easy Purdue points. Minnesota is not playing well as a team on defensive, resulting in a lot of mismatches and one-on-one opportunities for the Boilermakers who capitalized on a majority of their chances.

Purdue has recorded 13 assists already in the first half while shooting 54 percent.

Minnesota will likely need a 50-plus point performance in the second half in order to come back and win the regular season finale.