The Gophers four-game winning streak ended Thursday night with a 93-79 loss to Indiana on the road.
Minnesota (18-8, 10-5 Big Ten) shot 46 percent from the floor on the night and went just 3-13 from three-point range.
The team struggled with fouls all night, and the Hoosiers, who entered the night with the most free throw attempts in the Big Ten, made 28 of 42 shots from the line.
“We knew it was a key going into the game and we just did not defend penetration well,” Stollings said. “Our game goal was to hold them under 15 [free throws] so we didn’t even come close to that.”
Minnesota led by two after the first quarter, but lost the lead for good early in the second.
Indiana had 14 second chance points compared to Minnesota’s four, thanks to the Hoosiers 42-36 rebounding advantage.
“We put them to the free throw line way too many times, and they outrebounded us,” Gophers redshirt senior guard Rachel Banham said. “We’ve got to be tougher, especially going into Michigan State and Ohio State and Maryland. … We’ve got to outrebound those teams.”
Banham led the team with 29 points while senior guard Shayne Mullaney added 17.