By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Trevor Mbakwe had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Ralph Sampson III matched his career high with seven blocked shots to help Minnesota beat Iowa 69-59 on Sunday night.
Sampson scored 11 points with six rebounds and four assists for the Gophers (14-4, 3-3 Big Ten), who survived some lapses and avoided a costly defeat at home against one of the conference's few struggling teams. Al Nolen had 13 points and eight rebounds, including two critical 3-pointers in the second half and a 7-for-8 performance at the free-throw line.
Melsahn Basabe led the Hawkeyes (7-10, 0-5) with 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Eric May added 16 points. Matt Gatens finished with 13 points, including a 3-pointer at the 2-minute mark that brought Iowa within 62-55, but the junior guard was 5 for 21 from the field -- 3 for 10 from behind the arc.
Updated January 16, 2011
