Associated Press
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Randy Foye got the message.
After two days of listening to his coaches and teammates urge him to play with more intensity, the Minnesota Timberwolves guard did just that on Sunday.
Foye had 23 points and a career-high 14 assists, and the Timberwolves beat the Detroit Pistons 106-80 for their first road victory of the season.
"Tonight showed what kind of player Randy can be," Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "We’ve been talking to him for the last two days, telling him that he needed to be more aggressive."
ADVERTISEMENT
Foye attacked the basket and the slumping Timberwolves came alive.
"Everything seemed simple tonight," he said. "Coach told me to go for it."
Minnesota came into the game with a 2-9 record, including 0-5 on the road, and had just lost 95-78 to Boston on Thursday.
Ryan Gomes had 20 points, for Minnesota, Al Jefferson had 19 and reserve Craig Smith scored 16.
WOLVES 106, PISTONS 80
MINNESOTA (106)
Gomes 9-11 1-1 20, Jefferson 9-20 1-1 19, Collins 0-2 0-0 0, Foye 9-12 2-2 23, Miller 4-7 1-1 9, Love 0-2 2-2 2, Smith 6-13 4-7 16, Brewer 3-6 0-0 7, Telfair 2-7 0-0 6, Carney 2-3 0-0 4, Cardinal 0-0 0-0 0, Madsen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 44-83 11-14 106.
DETROIT (80)
ADVERTISEMENT
Prince 8-13 2-3 20, Wallace 3-10 0-0 7, Brown 1-3 0-0 2, Iverson 3-11 3-4 9, Hamilton 2-11 3-3 7, Stuckey 0-5 4-6 4, Johnson 1-2 0-0 2, Maxiell 5-10 2-4 12, Afflalo 1-4 0-0 3, Bynum 3-7 1-2 7, Herrmann 2-3 0-0 5, Acker 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 30-81 15-22 80.
Minnesota 22 22 32 30 — 106
Detroit 19 15 18 28 — 80
3-Point Goals — Minnesota 7-11 (Foye 3-4, Telfair 2-2, Gomes 1-1, Brewer 1-2, Miller 0-1, Carney 0-1), Detroit 5-14 (Prince 2-3, Herrmann 1-1, Afflalo 1-2, Wallace 1-4, Iverson 0-2, Hamilton 0-2). Fouled Out — None. Rebounds — Minnesota 56 (Smith 9), Detroit 44 (Wallace 10). Assists — Minnesota 32 (Foye 14), Detroit 22 (Hamilton, Bynum 6). Total Fouls — Minnesota 17, Detroit 17. Technicals — Minnesota defensive three second, Wallace. A — 22,076 (22,076).
COLLEGE MEN
Gophers nip Colorado St.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — For one half, Minnesota looked like a road weary team. But a change in strategy to a more aggressive approach turned things around for the unbeaten Gophers.
The Gophers had watched Colorado State shoot 52 percent and do pretty much whatever it wanted in the first 20 minutes. Minnesota was also outrebounded 18-12 in the first half.
ADVERTISEMENT
The move worked. Minnesota stepped up its defensive pressure and Paul Carter hit a game-winning layup with 18.9 seconds left to lift Minnesota to a 72-71 victory over Colorado State Saturday night.
Blake Hoffarber led the Gophers with 20 points and was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers. Al Nolen added 16 points for Minnesota (4-0).
MINNESOTA 72, COLO. ST. 71
MINNESOTA (4-0)
Abu-Shamala 0-2 0-0 0, Johnson 2-6 1-2 6, Iverson 2-2 1-2 5, Nolen 6-14 2-5 16, Westbrook 3-11 0-0 6, Carter 4-7 0-1 8, Payton 0-0 0-0 0, Busch 2-6 0-0 4, Joseph 2-2 0-0 5, Bostick 0-1 0-0 0, Hoffarber 6-10 3-3 20, Sampson III 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 28-64 7-13 72.
COLORADO ST. (2-1)
McFarland 6-8 0-0 16, Ogide 6-8 4-10 16, Bocar Ba 1-1 1-1 3, Walker 2-11 3-3 7, Perry 1-6 1-2 4, Carr 1-2 3-4 6, Simmons 0-5 4-4 4, Vandervieren 6-9 3-3 15. Totals 23-50 19-27 71.
Halftime — Colorado St. 38-32. 3-Point Goals — Minnesota 9-25 (Hoffarber 5-8, Nolen 2-6, Joseph 1-1, Johnson 1-3, Busch 0-1, Abu-Shamala 0-1, Carter 0-1, Westbrook 0-4), Colorado St. 6-12 (McFarland 4-4, Carr 1-2, Perry 1-3, Simmons 0-1, Walker 0-2). Fouled Out — Iverson. Rebounds — Minnesota 38 (Busch 6), Colorado St. 35 (Ogide 9). Assists — Minnesota 13 (Johnson 5), Colorado St. 11 (Walker 4). Total Fouls — Minnesota 24, Colorado St. 18. Technical — Colorado St. Bench. A — 5,956.
ADVERTISEMENT
COLLEGE WOMEN
Sylva sparks ‘U’
MINNEAPOLIS — Kay Sylva is contagious, and the rest of the Minnesota women’s basketball team is thanking her for it.
The reserve guard scored three straight first-half baskets to put the Gophers in the lead for good, then directed the offense on a second-half surge that helped put away a 87-63 win for Minnesota over Yale in the Subway Basketball Classic championship game on Sunday.
"They really count on me to bring a lot of energy, and it spreads," said Sylva, who had a career-high 12 points along with four assists.
Sylva’s personal run wiped out Yale’s 29-25 lead. sh Minnesota’s lead to 53-40.
Emily Fox was named tournament MVP for the second straight year after scoring 17 points and adding seven assists. Elgin native Katie Ohm and Jackie Voigt each scored 15.
