Rychart leads Gophers over Hawaii Pacific in holiday tourney

HONOLULU (AP) -- Dusty Rychart scored 23 of his 34 points in the second half as Minnesota defeated Hawaii Pacific 86-75 on Friday night in the Hawaii Thanksgiving Classic.

Terrance Simmons had 15 points and Shane Schilling added 13 for the Golden Gophers. Minnesota held a 34-25 rebounding advantage, with Rychart contributing nine.

The Golden Gophers struggled midway through the first half against a trapping 1-3-1 zone. The Division II Sea Warriors took a 21-20 lead on a free throw by Nick Spajic with 7:53 remaining in the half.

Minnesota (3-0) went on a 22-8 run to end the half. Schilling had eight points during the run, and Simmons and Travarus Bennett closed it out by hitting consecutive 3-pointers in the final 35 seconds.

The Gophers' largest lead of the game was 50-31 after Simmons hit Rychart on a backdoor cut about 2:30 into the second half.

The Sea Warriors (1-1) cut the lead to six with 54 seconds remaining, but couldn't get any closer.

Spajic scored 16 points and Larz Stewart added 15 for Hawaii Pacific.

MINNESOTA 86, HAWAII PACIFIC 75

MINNESOTA (3-0)

Bickerstaff 4-5 0-1 8, Bauer 1-6 3-4 5, Rychart 12-15 9-9 34, Simmons 6-14 0-2 15, Schilling 6-11 0-0 13, Burleson 2-3 0-0 6, Fleming 0-3 0-0 0, Bennett 1-2 0-0 3, Wildenborg 0-0 2-2 2, Hagen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-59 14-16 86.

HAWAII PACIFIC (1-1)

Smith 5-7 0-2 10, Subotic 2-8 2-2 7, Stewart 5-8 5-6 15, Avilla 3-5 0-0 7, Spajic 4-11 6-7 16, Paul 2-5 2-2 7, Jensen 2-5 4-5 8, Karanovic 2-3 0-0 5, Lagemann 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-52 19-24 75.

Halftime--Minnesota 42, Hawaii Pacific 29. 3-Point goals--Minnesota 8-17 (Simmons 3-8, Burleson 2-3, Rychart 1-1, Bennett 1-1, Schilling 1-2, Bauer 0-1, Fleming 0-1), Hawaii Pacific 6-20 (Spajic 2-4, Karanovic 1-2, Paul 1-3, Avilia 1-3, Subotic 1-5, Stewart 0-1, Jensen 0-2). Fouled out--Smith. Rebounds--Minnesota 34 (Rychart 9), Hawaii Pacific 25 (Spajic 7). Assists--Minnesota 26 (Bickerstaff 10), Hawaii Pacific 15 (Smith 4). Total fouls--Minnesota 19, Hawaii Pacific 19. A--1,119.