Freshman foils Gophers

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- One positive thing that Seton Hall can point to as it closes out its regular season is the development of 6-foot-11 freshman center Samuel Dalembert.

Dalembert tallied 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked seven shots Wednesday as Seton Hall struggled to a 64-61 win over Minnesota. The victory snapped a two-game Seton Hall losing streak and lifted the Pirates to 19-6.

Minnesota, depleted by injuries and the departure of 7-foot-1 center Joel Przybilla, who quit the team last week, lost for the fifth time in the last six games, and slipped to 12-12.

Seton Hall won despite committing 14 turnovers, getting beaten on the boards 52-42 and shooting just 40 percent including just 6-22 from three-point range.

Minnesota led 58-57 with 4:48 to play after baskets by Kyle Sanden and Kevin Burleson. But Seton Hall won it by scoring the next seven points in a row. Darius Lane hit two free throws to put the Pirates ahead for good. After a Gopher turnover, Dalembert took a pass from Greg Morton and laid the ball in giving Seton Hall a 61-58 edge.

An offensive foul gave the Pirates the ball again and Rimas Kaukenas, limping from a sprained left ankle suffered in the first half, made one of two free throws. The Gophers turned the ball over again on a walking call and Kaukenas drove the lane and dropped in a floater to make it 64-58 with 2:36 remaining.

Dusty Rychart, who tallied 11 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, pulled Minnesota within five making one of two free throws with 2:18 to play and Terrance Simmons made it 64-61 when he scored on a rebound with 54 seconds remaining.

Neither team could score the rest of the way although Simmons and Mitch Ohnstad both missed three-point attempts in the closing seconds.

''We gave a great effort and we gave them a run for their money,'' said Rychart. ''But at the end we had those turnovers and they turned the game around. This has been a tough season especially the last two weeks. We just have to stick together.''

MINNESOTA (12-12)

Schilling 2-11 0-2 4, Rychart 4-17 3-4 11, Wildenborg 1-4 0-0 2, Simmons 7-15 4-4 19, Ohnstad 4-8 0-2 8, Sinville 1-2 1-2 3, Burleson 2-8 0-0 5, Keating 0-0 0-0 0, Sanden 4-9 0-0 9, Aune 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-74 8-14 61.

SETON HALL (19-6)

Morton 2-2 0-0 4, Campbell 0-0 0-0 0, Dalembert 7-11 2-5 16, Holloway 4-10 0-0 10, Kaukenas 4-9 1-2 11, Shine 2-8 1-2 5, Harris 1-2 1-2 3, Lane 5-15 3-4 15, Manga 0-2 0-0 0, Garrett 0-1 0-0 0, Wilkins 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-62 8-15 64.

Halftime--Seton Hall 28, Minnesota 25. 3-Point goals--Minnesota 3-17 (Sanden 1-1, Simmons 1-4, Burleson 1-7, Ohnstad 0-2, Schilling 0-3), Seton Hall 6-22 (Kaukenas 2-4, Holloway 2-6, Lane 2-9, Garrett 0-1, Shine 0-2). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Minnesota 48 (Rychart 18), Seton Hall 39 (Dalembert 10). Assists--Minnesota 15 (Simmons 6), Seton Hall 14 (Holloway 9). Total fouls--Minnesota 16, Seton Hall 12. A--9,666.