WKY

MINN

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Battle scores 18 of 20 in 1st half, Minnesota holds off WKU

AP
Nov 12, 2021

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) Jamison Battle scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half, Payton Willis added 19 points and Minnesota held off Western Kentucky 73-69 on Friday night in the inaugural Asheville Championship.

Minnesota led by double figures for most of the second half until Dayvion McKnight took over for Western Kentucky. McKnight scored 28 of his career-high 34 points in the second half, including 24 of WKU's final 28 points.

McKnight was fouled in the lane with 36.3 seconds left and he made two free throws to pull WKU to 70-67. Willis made 1 of 2 free throws with 10.2 seconds left to give Minnesota a four-point lead and after Jairus Hamilton tipped in a WKU miss at 3.2 seconds. E.J. Stephens sealed it with two free throws.

Stephens finished with 18 points for Minnesota (2-0). The Golden Gophers got their second win under first-year coach Ben Johnson, who is a Minnesota alum and former Gopher assistant coach.

Minnesota closed the first half on a 10-2 run to take a 35-23 lead on Stephens' 3-pointer at the buzzer. Battle made five 3-pointers in the first half and scored 14 straight Minnesota points late in the first half.

Hamilton scored 12 points for Western Kentucky (1-1), which was picked to finish third in the Conference USA preseason poll. Jamarion Sharp, the tallest player in Division I this season at 7-foot-5, had four points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Luke Frampton, a transfer who became the second player at Davidson to make 100 3-pointers in a season, joining NBA star Stephen Curry, is off to a slow start with WKU this season. He was 0 for 7 from 3-point range in WKU's opener and missed all five of his attempts from distance against Minnesota.

The shot clock above each backboard were not functioning the entire second half so an arena worker announced the time remaining at 20, 10 and 5 seconds before a countdown from there.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
WKY
Hilltoppers
23
MINN
Golden Gophers
35

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Jaylen Butz vs. Eric Curry (Golden Gophers gains possession)
19:44	+2	Payton Willis makes two point jump shot	0-2
19:27	+2	Jaylen Butz makes two point layup (Luke Frampton assists)	2-2
19:10	+2	Eylijah Stephens makes two point jump shot	2-4
18:53		Jaylen Butz turnover (lost ball) (Jamison Battle steals)
18:38	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Luke Loewe assists)	2-7
18:16		Jairus Hamilton misses three point jump shot
18:14		Payton Willis defensive rebound
17:57		Payton Willis misses three point jump shot
17:55		Jairus Hamilton defensive rebound
17:39		Jairus Hamilton misses two point jump shot
17:37		Payton Willis defensive rebound
17:31		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
17:29		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
17:18		Josh Anderson misses two point jump shot
17:16		Eric Curry defensive rebound
16:52	+2	Eric Curry makes two point jump shot (Jamison Battle assists)	2-9
16:35		Jaylen Butz turnover (lost ball) (Payton Willis steals)
16:30		Luke Loewe misses two point layup
16:28		Golden Gophers offensive rebound
16:24		Josh Anderson personal foul
16:13		Eylijah Stephens misses three point jump shot
16:11		Josh Anderson defensive rebound
16:05		Dayvion McKnight misses two point jump shot
16:03		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
15:55	+2	Payton Willis makes two point jump shot	2-11
15:55		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
15:55		TV timeout
15:38	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point layup	4-11
15:19		Jairus Hamilton blocks Eric Curry's two point layup
15:17		Eylijah Stephens offensive rebound
15:10		Payton Willis misses three point jump shot
15:08		Josh Anderson defensive rebound
14:54		Jairus Hamilton misses two point jump shot
14:52		Payton Willis defensive rebound
14:42		Payton Willis turnover (bad pass) (Dayvion McKnight steals)
14:31		Luke Frampton misses three point jump shot
14:29		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
14:10		Luke Loewe turnover (lost ball)
13:52	+2	Luke Frampton makes two point layup	6-11
13:27		Eylijah Stephens misses three point jump shot
13:25		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
13:21		Luke Frampton misses three point jump shot
13:19		Golden Gophers defensive rebound
13:03		Payton Willis misses three point jump shot
13:01		Jamarion Sharp defensive rebound
12:45	+2	Jairus Hamilton makes two point layup	8-11
12:45		Sean Sutherlin shooting foul (Jairus Hamilton draws the foul)
12:45		Jairus Hamilton misses regular free throw 1 of 1
12:43		Payton Willis defensive rebound
12:31		Payton Willis turnover (Dayvion McKnight steals)
12:28		Jairus Hamilton misses two point layup
12:26		Charlie Daniels defensive rebound
12:24		Jamison Battle turnover (traveling)
12:05		Luke Frampton turnover (lost ball) (Charlie Daniels steals)
12:01		Sean Sutherlin offensive foul
12:01		Sean Sutherlin turnover
11:45		Luke Frampton turnover (lost ball) (Eylijah Stephens steals)
11:29	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot	8-14
11:03		Jamarion Sharp turnover (out of bounds)
11:03		TV timeout
10:51		Eylijah Stephens misses two point jump shot
10:49		Sean Sutherlin offensive rebound
10:43		Sean Sutherlin misses three point jump shot
10:41		Jamarion Sharp defensive rebound
10:33	+3	Sherman Brashear makes three point jump shot (Josh Anderson assists)	11-14
10:14	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Luke Loewe assists)	11-17
9:54		Josh Anderson misses three point jump shot
9:52		Sean Sutherlin defensive rebound
9:34	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Luke Loewe assists)	11-20
9:14		Sherman Brashear misses three point jump shot
9:12		Eylijah Stephens defensive rebound
9:03		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
9:01		Jamarion Sharp defensive rebound
8:34		Hilltoppers turnover (shot clock violation)
8:20		Jairus Hamilton shooting foul (Jamison Battle draws the foul)
8:20	+1	Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-21
8:20	+1	Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-22
8:11		Jamarion Sharp misses two point layup
8:09		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
7:52		Payton Willis misses three point jump shot
7:50		Jairus Hamilton defensive rebound
7:38	+2	Jairus Hamilton makes two point jump shot	13-22
7:14		Josh Anderson personal foul
7:14		TV timeout
7:12		Payton Willis turnover (bad pass) (Jaylen Butz steals)
7:01		Josh Anderson misses three point jump shot
6:59		Luke Loewe defensive rebound
6:35		Luke Loewe misses three point jump shot
6:33		Josh Anderson defensive rebound
6:24		Jairus Hamilton turnover (bad pass) (Eric Curry steals)
6:05	+3	Jamison Battle makes three point jump shot (Luke Loewe assists)	13-25
5:45	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point jump shot	15-25
5:21		Payton Willis misses two point jump shot
5:19		Jairus Hamilton defensive rebound
5:06	+3	Jairus Hamilton makes three point jump shot (Josh Anderson assists)	18-25
5:02		Golden Gophers 30 second timeout
4:42		Jairus Hamilton personal foul (Sean Sutherlin draws the foul)
4:40		Eric Curry misses two point jump shot
4:38		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
4:32		Sean Sutherlin personal foul
4:31	+2	Luke Frampton makes two point layup (Dayvion McKnight assists)	20-25
4:01		Payton Willis misses two point layup
3:59		Luke Frampton defensive rebound
3:50		Jairus Hamilton misses three point jump shot
3:48		Golden Gophers defensive rebound
3:48		TV timeout
3:26		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
3:24		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
3:10		Eric Curry shooting foul (Jaylen Butz draws the foul)
3:10	+1	Jaylen Butz makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-25
3:10		Jaylen Butz misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:10		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
2:48		Luke Frampton shooting foul (Jamison Battle draws the foul)
2:48	+1	Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-26
2:48		Jamison Battle misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:46		Jairus Hamilton defensive rebound
2:22		Jairus Hamilton misses two point jump shot
2:20		Eric Curry defensive rebound
2:13	+3	Eylijah Stephens makes three point jump shot (Payton Willis assists)	21-29
1:57		Josh Anderson misses two point jump shot
1:55		Golden Gophers defensive rebound
1:37	+3	Payton Willis makes three point jump shot (Jamison Battle assists)	21-32
1:15		Dayvion McKnight misses two point layup
1:13		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
1:04		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
1:02		Josh Anderson defensive rebound
0:55		Josh Anderson misses two point jump shot
0:53		Jaylen Butz offensive rebound
0:46		Sherman Brashear misses three point jump shot
0:44		Jamison Battle defensive rebound
0:23		Payton Willis misses two point jump shot
0:21		Sherman Brashear defensive rebound
0:10	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point jump shot	23-32
0:02	+3	Eylijah Stephens makes three point jump shot	23-35
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
WKY
Hilltoppers
46
MINN
Golden Gophers
38

Time		Play	Score
19:49		Jairus Hamilton offensive foul
19:49		Jairus Hamilton turnover
19:28		Eylijah Stephens misses three point jump shot
19:26		Golden Gophers offensive rebound
19:20		Eylijah Stephens misses two point jump shot
19:18		Luke Frampton defensive rebound
19:08		Luke Frampton misses two point jump shot
19:06		Luke Frampton offensive rebound
18:59		Luke Frampton misses three point jump shot
18:57		Dayvion McKnight offensive rebound
18:43	+2	Eric Curry makes two point jump shot	23-37
18:26		Jaylen Butz misses two point jump shot
18:24		Dayvion McKnight offensive rebound
18:26		Payton Willis shooting foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
18:26	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 1 of 2	24-37
18:26	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 2 of 2	25-37
18:12	+2	Eric Curry makes two point jump shot	25-39
18:01		Luke Frampton misses three point jump shot
17:59		Hilltoppers offensive rebound
17:58	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point layup	27-39
17:55	+2	Luke Loewe makes two point jump shot	27-41
17:35	+3	Josh Anderson makes three point jump shot (Dayvion McKnight assists)	30-41
17:09	+2	Luke Loewe makes two point layup (Eric Curry assists)	30-43
16:55	+2	Jaylen Butz makes two point dunk (Dayvion McKnight assists)	32-43
16:29	+2	Payton Willis makes two point dunk	32-45
16:00		Jaylen Butz turnover (lost ball) (Payton Willis steals)
16:00		TV timeout
15:47		Eylijah Stephens turnover (Josh Anderson steals)
15:38		Payton Willis shooting foul (Josh Anderson draws the foul)
15:38	+1	Josh Anderson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	33-45
15:38	+1	Josh Anderson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-45
15:37		Jaylen Butz personal foul
15:14	+3	Payton Willis makes three point jump shot	34-48
14:57		Eric Curry personal foul
14:47		Jairus Hamilton misses two point jump shot
14:45		Eylijah Stephens defensive rebound
14:39		Jaylen Butz personal foul
14:37	+2	Eric Curry makes two point jump shot	34-50
14:20	+3	Jairus Hamilton makes three point jump shot (Luke Frampton assists)	37-50
13:59		Eric Curry misses two point jump shot
13:57		Luke Loewe offensive rebound
13:41	+2	Payton Willis makes two point jump shot	37-52
13:24	+2	Jamarion Sharp makes two point dunk (Dayvion McKnight assists)	39-52
13:17		Jairus Hamilton shooting foul (Luke Loewe draws the foul)
13:17		Luke Loewe misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:17	+1	Luke Loewe makes regular free throw 2 of 2	39-53
13:05		Eric Curry blocks Dayvion McKnight's two point layup
13:03		Golden Gophers defensive rebound
12:41		Golden Gophers 30 second timeout
12:41		TV timeout
12:38		Payton Willis misses three point jump shot
12:36		Josh Anderson defensive rebound
12:29		Luke Frampton misses two point layup
12:27		Jamarion Sharp offensive rebound
12:23	+2	Jamarion Sharp makes two point dunk	41-53
12:03		Jamarion Sharp shooting foul (Eric Curry draws the foul)
12:03	+1	Eric Curry makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-54
12:03		Eric Curry misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:03		Jamarion Sharp defensive rebound
11:38		Eric Curry shooting foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
11:38		TV timeout
11:38	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-54
11:38	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-54
11:09		Dayvion McKnight personal foul (Payton Willis draws the foul)
10:49		Jamarion Sharp personal foul (Payton Willis draws the foul)
10:49	+1	Payton Willis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-55
10:49		Payton Willis misses regular free throw 2 of 2
10:49		Jamarion Sharp defensive rebound
10:33		Dayvion McKnight misses two point jump shot
10:29		Eylijah Stephens defensive rebound
10:29		Sherman Brashear personal foul (Eylijah Stephens draws the foul)
10:29	+1	Eylijah Stephens makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-56
10:29	+1	Eylijah Stephens makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-57
10:21		Luke Frampton turnover (bad pass) (Eylijah Stephens steals)
10:16		Luke Frampton shooting foul (Jamison Battle draws the foul)
10:16	+1	Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-58
10:16	+1	Jamison Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-59
9:55		Josh Anderson misses two point jump shot
9:53		Payton Willis defensive rebound
9:39		Jamarion Sharp blocks Charlie Daniels's two point layup
9:37		Luke Frampton defensive rebound
9:30	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point layup	45-59
9:07		Eylijah Stephens turnover (bad pass)
8:49		Payton Willis shooting foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
8:49	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-59
8:49	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-59
8:28		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
8:26		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
8:19		Luke Loewe shooting foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
8:19	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-59
8:19	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-59
8:03	+3	Payton Willis makes three point jump shot (Eric Curry assists)	49-62
7:41		Jairus Hamilton misses three point jump shot
7:39		Eylijah Stephens defensive rebound
7:24		Jamison Battle turnover (lost ball) (Dayvion McKnight steals)
7:22		TV timeout
7:14		Jamison Battle personal foul (Jairus Hamilton draws the foul)
7:14		Jairus Hamilton misses regular free throw 1 of 1
7:14		Eric Curry defensive rebound
6:49		Payton Willis turnover (bad pass) (Jamarion Sharp steals)
6:40	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point layup (Sherman Brashear assists)	51-62
6:40		Payton Willis shooting foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
6:40	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 1 of 1	52-62
6:28	+3	Eylijah Stephens makes three point jump shot (Luke Loewe assists)	52-65
6:08	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point jump shot	54-65
5:48		Luke Loewe misses three point jump shot
5:46		Golden Gophers offensive rebound
5:35		Eric Curry misses two point jump shot
5:33		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
5:23		Dayvion McKnight misses two point jump shot
5:21		Sean Sutherlin defensive rebound
4:59		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
4:57		Luke Loewe offensive rebound
4:41		Eylijah Stephens misses two point jump shot
4:39		Eric Curry offensive rebound
4:27	+3	Eylijah Stephens makes three point jump shot (Eric Curry assists)	54-68
4:15	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point layup	56-68
4:15		Luke Loewe shooting foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
4:15	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 1 of 1	57-68
3:55		Eric Curry turnover (lost ball) (Josh Anderson steals)
3:49	+2	Josh Anderson makes two point dunk	59-68
3:48		Golden Gophers 30 second timeout
3:48		TV timeout
3:28		Jamarion Sharp blocks Eylijah Stephens's two point jump shot
3:26		Golden Gophers offensive rebound
3:24		Eric Curry misses two point jump shot
3:22		Jairus Hamilton defensive rebound
3:14		Luke Frampton misses three point jump shot
3:12		Payton Willis defensive rebound
2:50		Payton Willis misses three point jump shot
2:44		Hilltoppers defensive rebound
2:34		Luke Loewe shooting foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
2:34	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-68
2:34		Dayvion McKnight misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:34		Eric Curry defensive rebound
2:07		Eylijah Stephens misses two point jump shot
2:05		Luke Frampton defensive rebound
1:59	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point layup	62-68
1:59		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
1:36		Jamison Battle misses two point layup
1:34		Eric Curry offensive rebound
1:27	+2	Eric Curry makes two point tip shot	62-70
1:15	+3	Dayvion McKnight makes three point jump shot	65-70
1:11		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
0:45		Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
0:43		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
0:33		Luke Loewe personal foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
0:33	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 1 of 2	66-70
0:33	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 2 of 2	67-70
0:29		Golden Gophers 30 second timeout
0:27		Jamison Battle turnover (lost ball) (Dayvion McKnight steals)
0:15		Jairus Hamilton misses three point jump shot
0:13		Eric Curry defensive rebound
0:10		Josh Anderson personal foul (Payton Willis draws the foul)
0:10		Payton Willis misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:10	+1	Payton Willis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	67-71
0:05		Dayvion McKnight misses three point jump shot
0:03		Jairus Hamilton offensive rebound
0:03	+2	Jairus Hamilton makes two point layup	69-71
0:03		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
0:02		Jairus Hamilton personal foul (Eylijah Stephens draws the foul)
0:02	+1	Eylijah Stephens makes regular free throw 1 of 2	69-72
0:02	+1	Eylijah Stephens makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-73
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Eylijah Stephens makes regular free throw 2 of 2