Hannes Steinbach delivered a standout performance with 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting, while teammate Zoom Diallo added 17 points, leading the Washington Huskies to a 69-57 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday night. This win marked a crucial end to a three-game losing streak for Washington, improving their record to 13-13 overall and 5-10 in Big Ten play.
Despite struggling from beyond the arc, making only 4-of-13 (31%) on three-pointers, Washington showcased their shooting efficiency inside the paint, converting 25 of their 33 attempts for an impressive 76%.
Steinbach narrowly missed achieving his 17th double-double of the season, contributing nine rebounds to his scoring tally. He entered the game as one of the nation’s top rebounders, averaging 11.4 boards per game.
Minnesota’s efforts were led by Cade Tyson, who scored 22 points, followed by Bobby Durkin with 13 and Isaac Asuma with 11, but their performance was not enough to overcome Washington’s surge.
The game-changing moment came late in the first half when Washington went on a 14-0 scoring run over the final 3:57, turning a narrow deficit into a commanding 39-26 lead. The momentum shifted when Courtland Muldrew hit a step-back basket to give the Huskies the edge at 27-26, followed by Steinbach’s layup and a jumper from Franck Kepnang.
Maintaining their lead throughout the second half, Washington’s dominance culminated in a dunk from Steinbach that extended their lead to 69-49 with just 2:59 left in the game.
Looking ahead, Minnesota will head south on Interstate 5 to face Oregon on Tuesday, while Washington is set to play next Saturday against Maryland. This win reinvigorates the Huskies’ season, offering a hopeful turnaround as they aim to build on their success in the upcoming games.