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Five takeaways from Indiana's win against Minnesota

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Five takeaways from Indiana's win against Minnesota


Indiana never trailed on Friday night and rolled past Minnesota, 74-62, at Assembly Hall. The victory improved the Hoosiers to 12-5 overall and 4-2 in Big Ten play.

Here are five takeaways from the win against the Golden Gophers:

Indiana’s energy was excellent from the opening tip

The Hoosiers needed to exhibit more energy, fight and cohesiveness following Tuesday’s loss to Rutgers at Jersey Mike’s Arena.

That’s precisely what happened from the opening tip against Minnesota.

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Indiana made things difficult with a solid defensive effort against the Gophers and took care of the ball offensively, which helped fuel a hot start.

The Hoosiers raced to an 11-2 lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 21 points in the second half. Minnesota coach Ben Johnson said postgame that his team played catch-up all evening.

“I thought the scouting report was perfectly fit going into the game, and they followed it right from the start,” Mike Woodson said. “We really defended the ball. We didn’t let their guards really get away from us in terms of getting downhill, so we really focused in on not giving straight-line drives where we had to help as much.”

The defensive pressure on the ball was more intense than usual and seemed to make Minnesota uncomfortable.

Several of Minnesota’s early shots were wild misses and the Gophers never got comfortable from beyond the 3-point line, shooting a dismal 3-for-20.

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Mackenzie Mgbako’s best game yet as a Hoosier

Freshman Mackenzie Mgbako showed off his complete offensive package in Friday’s win.

The five-star forward from Gladstone, New Jersey has primarily been a perimeter shooter but used his strength to get to the rim repeatedly against Minnesota.

When Mgbako wasn’t finishing at the rim, he was getting to the line. The 6-foot-8 forward attempted a team-high seven free throws, connecting on five.

He finished with a team-high 19 points in 34 minutes.

More important, however, was Mgbako’s defense. His minutes have often been limited this season due to his defensive shortcomings. He held his own on Friday, which allowed him to stay on the floor for a career-high 34 minutes.

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“He’s put the work in,” Woodson said. “He’s continuing to work, along with the rest of our young players. All we can do as coaches is continue to teach and push and try to get as much out of them as we can as we continue this journey.”

Trey Galloway scores efficiently, dishes out seven assists and defends

It was a night to forget for Indiana’s point guards, Gabe Cupps and Xavier Johnson. The duo combined for just two assists and two points in 47 minutes and 0-for-7 shooting from the field.

With both players struggling to score or distribute, Trey Galloway stepped up with one of his best all-around games of the season.

Galloway shot 4-for-5 from the field and made two of his three 3-point attempts.

More important, though, were Galloway’s seven assists. Five of those assists came in the second half as he found multiple teammates – Mgbako, Kel’el Ware and Malik Reneau – for buckets.

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Galloway also made his mark defensively as he helped hold starting Minnesota two-guard Mike Mitchell Jr. scoreless in 20 minutes. It was the first time this season the Pepperdine transfer, who has scored in double figures eight times, didn’t register a point.

Indiana shortens the rotation

After 11 players logged minutes at Rutgers, Indiana shortened the rotation against Minnesota.

The Hoosiers played nine players, and only eight logged double-figure minutes, as Kaleb Banks only entered the game briefly after Anthony Walker had a bloody nose late in the first half.

There were also no stretches in the first half with four subs in the game simultaneously. Even with the tighter rotation, Indiana did allow an 11-0 run in the first half that allowed Minnesota to climb within five points.

However, the Hoosiers dictated the game from the opening tip and Minnesota never seriously threatened to take control, particularly in the second half.

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While plus-minus numbers aren’t a perfect stat, all of Indiana’s starters logged a +16 or better in the win, while Johnson (-13), Walker (-12), and Gunn (-7) were all in the negative despite each playing at least 13 minutes.

Through six Big Ten games, Indiana has the league’s best defense and third-worst offense

Despite a pair of ugly losses at Nebraska and Rutgers, Indiana’s Big Ten record is solid at 4-2. The schedule gets much more challenging now with No. 1 Purdue coming to town and road trips to Wisconsin and Illinois.

Through six league games, Indiana is winning because of its defense.

The Hoosiers have allowed just .973 points per possession so far against Big Ten opponents, the top mark in the conference. Indiana held Minnesota to .872 points per possession, a season-low for the Gophers.

Offensively, however, the Hoosiers rank just 12th in the league with .992 points per possession.

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Several issues are contributing to Indiana’s offensive woes in conference play.

Indiana is turning the ball over on 19.1 percent of its possessions against Big Ten opponents, the third worst in the league. And its free throw shooting ranks last at 60.3 percent.

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

Filed to: Mackenzie Mgbako, Minnesota Golden Gophers



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Minnesota

Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota

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Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota


Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night.

Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.

Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, was 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.

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Minnesota improved to 2-0 on a three-game trip.

Derrick Jones Jr. scored 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who struggled from the outset with a season-low 38 points in the first half. Kris Dunn had 11 points for the Clippers (27-31), who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since December.

The Clippers struggled on offense without star Kawhi Leonard, out because of ankle soreness. The Clippers shot 40.5% from the floor, including 18.2% (four for 22) in the second quarter. Minnesota shot 43.4% in the game.

The Timberwolves (37-23) scored just 15 points in the second quarter and still topped the Clippers, who had 11. Minnesota led 44-38 at halftime behind 12 points from DiVincenzo and 11 from Edwards.

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The Clippers led by six in the third quarter and were up 68-63 heading into the fourth. Edwards’ drive and reverse layup put the Timberwolves up for good at 76-74 with 7:40 remaining.

The Clippers pulled within one three times in the last 2½ minutes, but Edwards answered each time. He scored the Timberwolves’ last nine points.

Up next for Clippers: vs. New Orleans on Sunday night.

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Church congregant filed lawsuit against alleged Minnesota church protesters

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Church congregant filed lawsuit against alleged Minnesota church protesters


A St. Paul church member has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a group of individuals, including journalist Don Lemon and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, unlawfully disrupted service last month as part of a coordinated political demonstration.

The complaint, filed by Ann Doucette in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota, alleges that a Jan. 18 demonstration at Cities Church interfered with her ability to worship and caused her to suffer damages, including emotional distress and trauma.

In addition to the former CNN anchor and Armstrong, the complaint names journalist Georgia Fort and activists Will Kelly, Jerome Richardson, Trahern Crews and Jamael Lundy. It also names St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen.

Doucette and seven of the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Doucette filed the complaint without the representation of an attorney. In an emailed statement to NBC News, Crews denied the lawsuit’s allegations “with empathy and compassion.”

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The lawsuit accuses the group of civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting, intentional infliction of emotional distress, interference with religious exercise and trespassing.

“As a result of Defendants’ actions, the worship service was disrupted, congregants experienced fear and distress, and Plaintiff’s ability to freely exercise her religion in a private place of worship was unlawfully interfered with,” the lawsuit states.

All eight defendants are also facing federal charges for conspiracy against the rights of religious freedom at a place of worship and for interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom. Lemon has pleaded not guilty to all charges, saying outside the court, “I wanted to say this isn’t just about me, this is about all journalists, especially in the United States.”

Fort, Crews and Lundy were released on bond and entered not guilty pleas, according to The Associated Press.

Don Lemon reporting from an anti-ICE demonstration at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn.@TheDonLemonShow via YouTube

This is the latest legal action tied to protests in the Twin Cities, where tensions remain over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

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According to the lawsuit, the demonstrators engaged in “coordinated conduct” by organizing meetings ahead of the “Operation Pullup” protest and promoting it on social media.

The lawsuit alleges that on the morning of Jan. 18, a coordinated group of individuals entered Cities Church, halting the worship service, and chanting “‘ICE Out!’ and ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!’” while obstructing aisles. Protesters could allegedly be seen “confronting the pastor and congregants in a menacing manner,” the lawsuit says, noting that their chanting and “aggressive gestures” caused “severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma” and caused children “terror.”

Demonstrators gathered at the church because they said its pastor, David Easterwood, was the acting director of an ICE field office in the city, the lawsuit says.

Lemon was arrested in January in California and accused of violating federal civil rights law after covering the protest on Jan. 18. He was released on a personal recognizance bond before a federal grand jury in Minnesota returned the indictment against Lemon and eight co-defendants, all of whom are also named in Doucette’s lawsuit.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, Cities Church protest arraignment, St. Paul, Minn., February 2026
Nekima Levy Armstrong in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 13.Carlos Gonzalez / Star Tribune via Getty Images

In the lawsuit, Doucette alleges that Lemon specifically livestreamed the protest, “noting congregants’ fear and distress, and appeared to take satisfaction in the disruption.”

Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis-based civil rights attorney and activist, was also arrested for her participation in the St. Paul protest. Her arrest drew national attention after the White House shared on social media doctored photos where she appeared to be crying.

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Man arrested, charged with threatening to kill a state senator

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Man arrested, charged with threatening to kill a state senator



A Hubbard County man was arrested and charged after threatening to kill a Minnesota state senator on Facebook. 

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Court documents filed on Wednesday state the Minnesota State Patrol were investigating a threat posted by John Tobias saying that he would “kill every one of you treasonous [expletive] immediately” if he did not get money back that he claims he lost during the 2020 COVID shutdown. 

Court documents go on to say that Tobias then called the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office asking for something to be done about “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ‘unconstitutionally’ shutting down the state due to COVID-19. 

The Minnesota State Patrol contacted Hubbard County deputies regarding Tobias. Court documents state Hubbard County investigators were already familiar with Tobais after speaking with him regarding similar threats he made in Jan. 

The charging documents state that investigators searched Tobias’ residence on Tuesday and found an arsenal of guns and 45 boxes of ammunition. 

Tobias was taken into custody. During an interview with law enforcement, Tobias admitted to making the threat on Facebook. He also told investigators that “he did not have any intention of killing anyone, but admitted he was trying to get people’s attention,” according to court records. 

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In late 2025, Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol, who oversees Capitol security, told a panel of lawmakers that threats to lawmakers had doubled between 2024 and 2025. 

Tobias made his first court appearance Wednesday morning and is expected back in court early next month.  



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