No. 22 Minnesota 65, Indiana 58

2/23/2006 10:52 PM

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Jamie Broback scored 20 points to lead No. 22 Minnesota to a 65-58 win Thursday night over Indiana, breaking the Gophers' four-game losing streak and earning them a first-round bye in the Big Ten tournament.

The lead changed hands eight times before Broback scored six straight points to start a 16-5 run in the opening minutes of the second half. Indiana trailed 45-35 after the spurt and never recovered, losing its sixth straight to Minnesota.

Broback reached 1,000 points for her career, becoming the 16th Minnesota player to reach that mark by scoring on a mid-range jumper with 4:27 remaining in the game.

The win stopped Minnesota's longest losing streak in four seasons under coach Pam Borton.

The Hoosiers, who were coming off an emotional 63-61 overtime win at Purdue, made things interesting when they cut the lead to 60-55 on Nikki Smith's 3-point basket with just over a minute remaining. But the Gophers (18-8, 10-5) got a driving basket by April Calhoun and held on to stop Indiana's three-game winning streak.

Indiana (15-11 9-6) was trying to win its fourth consecutive Big Ten game for the first time since the 1985-86 season. The Hoosiers finish the regular season Sunday at Iowa. Sunday's winner gains a first-round bye in the tournament while the loser plays in Thursday's opening round.

Calhoun scored 12 points for Minnesota. Kelly Roysland scored 11 in her second straight start.

Smith led Indiana with 18 points, while Jenny DeMuth scored 14.

Indiana wiped out an early 12-6 deficit by holding the Gophers scoreless for more than six minutes while taking a 13-12 lead. The Gophers regained the lead at 17-15 on a steal and basket by Calhoun and a 3-pointer by Roysland.

The Hoosiers surged ahead early in the second half, with Smith hitting a pair of 3-point shots for a 30-29 lead before Broback got the Gophers rolling.