Mbakwe's Double-Double Leads No. 15 Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Trevor Mbakwe had 12 points, all on free throws, and 16 rebounds and No. 15 Minnesota beat Cornell 71-66 Saturday night.

Blake Hoffarber added 13 points, five rebounds and four assists, helping the Gophers withstand another strong shooting night from an opponent.

Ralph Sampson III scored 13 points for Minnesota (7-1), which recovered from Monday's loss to Virginia in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the first home non-conference loss since Tubby Smith became coach in 2007.

Errick Peck scored 16 points for Cornell (2-6). Chris Wroblewski added 16 points for the Big Red, who lost their fifth straight game. Cornell made 14 of 33 3-pointers.

The Big Red hit five of their first 10 from outside the 3-point arc, allowing them to stay with the taller Gophers.

Minnesota was 5 of 16 from downtown, but the Gophers' size advantage eventually helped them pull away in the second half, mostly by allowing Minnesota to get to the free-throw line.

The Gophers shot 26 of 44 from the free-throw line, while Cornell finished 10 of 14.

That kept Minnesota in the game even though the Gophers went without a field goal for an 11-minute stretch in the second half.

Mbakwe went 12 of 20 from the free-throw line, helping to overcome 0 for 4 shooting.

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