Minnesota 80, Rutgers 68: Joey King hit three 3-pointers in each half and scored a season-high 20 points as the Golden Gophers downed the Scarlet Knights in the first round of the Big Ten tournament in Chicago.

Carlos Morris went 8-of-8 from the foul line en route to 16 points for No. 11 seed Minnesota (18-14), which faces sixth-seeded Ohio State in Thursday’s second round. Nate Mason chipped in 15 points while Maurice Walker posted his second consecutive double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Kadeem Jack tallied 18 points to pace No. 14 seed Rutgers (10-22), which ended its season with 15 straight losses after upsetting Wisconsin on Jan. 11. Myles Mack and Bishop Daniels finished with 15 points apiece while Junior Etou had nine points and nine boards for the Scarlet Knights.

Following a first half in which neither team led by more than five, Rutgers appeared to find its stride in the first 2 ½ minutes after the break by hitting its first three shots to turn a three-point halftime deficit into a 34-32 edge. The Scarlet Knights managed only one field goal and committed six turnovers over the next seven-plus minutes, giving King a chance to catch fire with three of Minnesota’s four 3-pointers near the end of a 22-8 surge that left the Gophers ahead 54-42 with 11:13 left.

Rutgers needed less than four minutes to rally within four as Daniels contributed five points and Jack added four, but a three-point play by Walker and three straight buckets from Mason held off the charge. A dunk from Walker in the final half-minute extended the lead to 14 as Minnesota posted its sixth 50-point half of the season.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Minnesota leading scorer Andre Hollins was held scoreless for the first time in 128 games after exploding for a season-high 31 points in the teams’ Jan. 17 meeting. … Rutgers matched a season low with one blocked shot. … The Gophers finished with 10 steals, improving to 14-1 in games in which they record at least that many.