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No. 14 Minnesota vs. USC final: Gophers roll, 71-57, in Tubby Smith's 500th career win

The Minnesota Golden Gophers had four players score in double figures and defeated the USC Trojans on Saturday night for head coach Tubby Smith's 500th career victory.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

No. 14 Minnesota rolled over USC on Saturday night, 71-57, to give head coach Tubby Smith his 500th career win.

Smith began his head coaching career at Tulsa before moving to Georgia, then Kentucky, where he won a National Championship in 1998. He began his tenure at Minnesota in 2007 and has guided the Gophers to two NCAA tournament berths and a record of 113-65.

On Saturday night, Minnesota jumped out to an early 9-0 advantage and never looked back, leading the entire game. Guard Andre Hollins had 14 points and five rebounds for the Gophers, while Trevor Mbakwe and Joe Coleman added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Rodney Williams Jr. recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Omar Oraby led the Trojans in scoring with 15 points in only 22 minutes. Dewayne Dedmon scored only two points, but grabbed 10 rebounds in the losing effort. USC was 1-of-11 from behind the three-point line.

Minnesota moves to 10-1 on the season following the win, as they return home to face North Dakota State on Tuesday. The loss marks USC's fifth straight defeat, dropping them to 3-6 on the season. The Trojans will look to get back in the win column Dec. 15 against UC Riverside.

Photographs by Micah Taylor, clairity, and Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.