Ralph Sampson III scored a season-high 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in his return to the starting lineup, leading Minnesota to its fourth straight win, 69-47 over Saint Peter's on Saturday.
Sampson, who also had four assists, had played as a reserve but hadn't started since injuring his ankle Nov. 17. He helped the Gophers (10-1) dominate inside against the smaller Peacocks.
Darius Conley led the Peacocks (2-6) with a career-high 20 points and Chris Prescott scored 12, but Saint Peter's didn't get much from anyone else.
The Gophers never trailed and led by as many as 22. They kept Saint Peter's searching for jump shots for most of the game, allowing them to maintain a comfortable cushion. Minnesota outscored the Peacocks 38-22 in the paint and shot 27 free throws to Saint Peter's 10.
