Minnesota men’s basketball forward Kris Humphries admits that earlier this season he might have rushed a quick shot.

Or was too impatient that he passed to a covered teammate.

On Wednesday night, Humphries showed he – and his Gophers teammates – have been learning and improving.

The freshman waited after receiving the ball in the low post at Indiana as he saw a double team approaching.

Sure, 20 seconds remained and the Gophers trailed by three points.

But with 14 seconds remaining, Humphries found Brent Lawson cutting to the basket. Lawson made the left-handed layup and was fouled.

Minnesota won the game 73-71, winning at Assembly Hall for only the fifth time in the team’s history.

This play, heading into Saturday’s game against Purdue, highlights Humphries’ overall improvement and how the rest of the Gophers are moving when the talented freshman has the basketball.

Minnesota (10-14, 2-10 Big Ten) has won two of its last three games in similar fashion and will need a continued effort with the senior-led Boilermakers (16-9, 6-6) coming to town.

“I think the longer you play in a season, especially for me,” Humphries said, “the more familiar you get and the better you play as a unit.”

Gophers coach Dan Monson agrees.

While Humphries’ size and strength – 6 feet 9 inches tall, 240 pounds – make him a difficult game matchup, it is nearly impossible for Monson to emulate similar situations in practice.

“That is a tough thing to simulate in practice and a tough thing to get better at without experiencing it,” Monson said.

In the preseason, the Gophers eked out eight wins despite many times standing around and watching Humphries overpower opponents.

In the Big Ten, that doesn’t work, as the Gophers staggered out of the gates to a 0-9 record.

“It would be easy to stand around and watch because he was so good and dominant,” Monson said of Humphries’ career-high 36 points against the Hoosiers, a Minnesota freshman scoring record. “There were four guys moving around one, instead of four guys standing around one.”

This has created better looks at the basket for Humphries and the Gophers.

In his last three games, the Chaska, Minn., native has shot 48 percent from the floor. In the previous eight Big Ten games, Humphries shot 41 percent.

Guard Adam Boone said with any team it takes time to figure out spacing and interpreting teammates’ tendencies.

Now that it is all blending together, the Gophers are hoping to earn some wins and make a run in the Big Ten tournament.

“You have to get used to a system and a position on the floor,” Boone said. “We are improving and it is showing on the court.”