University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Open Big Ten Tournament against Northwestern
3/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GOPHERS/WILDCATS PREVIEW
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (18-12, 8-10) travel to Indianapolis this week for the Big Ten Tournament, where they take on the Northwestern Wildcats (8-21, 1-17) in an opening round contest at Canseco Fieldhouse. The winner of the contest will advance to play Indiana on Friday in the quarterfinal round.
The Gophers swept the regular season series from Northwestern this year. The Gophers earned a 82-63 victory on Jan. 9 at Williams Arena thanks to 19 points and 14 rebounds from senior forward Dan Coleman and 15 points off the bench for freshman Blake Hoffarber. Minnesota won the matchup in Evanston by a 92-72 tally on the strength of 19 points from Spencer Tollackson and a season-high 16-point performance from Jamal Abu-Shamala.
The Gophers hold a 85-56 lead in the all-time series and have won the last three meetings between the two schools.
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT NOTES
The Gophers are 1-1 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament against the Wildcats. Both games were opening round matchups with the Gophers coming out the 64-56 victors in the 1998 tournament and the Wildcats taking a 76-64 decision in 2003.
Junior forward Jamal Abu-Shamala has been a Wildcat nemisis during his Gopher career. In six career games against Northwestern, Abu-Shamala is averaging 11.2 ppg and is 16 of 28 from beyond the three-point arc.
Head Coach Tubby Smith has had great success in conference tournament action. He holds a 28-10 (.737) all-time mark in tourney play. He has won five conference tournaments, all at Kentucky (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004). He has won at least one game in 13 of 15 conference tournaments. His Kentucky Wildcats did not win a game in 2000 and 2002.
The Gophers are 6-10 all-time in Big Ten Tournament play.
POST SEASON AWARDS
The Big Ten Conference announced Monday that senior Lawrence McKenzie was named Third Team All-Big Ten by the coaches. Also, fellow senior Dan Coleman was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten b y the coaches. Both players were named honorable mention by the media.
COACHES PICKS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: D.J. White - Indiana
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Chris Kramer - Purdue
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Eric Gordon - Indiana
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Jason Bohannon - Wisconsin
COACH OF THE YEAR: Matt Painter - Purdue
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN:
Eric Gordon - Indiana
D.J. White - Indiana
Drew Neitzel - Michigan State
Robbie Hummel - Purdue
Brian Butch - Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN:
Manny Harris - Michigan
Raymar Morgan - Michigan State
Jamar Butler - Ohio State
E’Twaun Moore - Purdue
Marcus Landry - Wisconsin
THIRD TEAM ALL-BIG TEN:
Armon Bassett - Indiana
Tony Freeman - Iowa
Lawrence McKenzie - Minnesota
Kosta Koufos - Ohio State
Michael Flowers - Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-BIG TEN:
Shaun Pruitt - Illinois
Deshawn Sims - Michigan
Kalin Lucas - Michigan State
Dan Coleman - Minnesota
Kevin Coble - Northwestern
Jamelle Cornley - Penn State
Keaton Grant - Purdue
Chris Kramer - Purdue
Trevon Hughes - Wisconsin
MEDIA PICKS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: D.J. White - Indiana
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Eric Gordon - Indiana
COACH OF THE YEAR: Matt Painter - Purdue
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN:
Eric Gordon - Indiana
D.J. White - Indiana
Jamar Butler - Ohio State
Robbie Hummel - Purdue
Brian Butch - Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN:
Manny Harris - Michigan
Raymar Morgan - Michigan State
Drew Neitzel - Michigan State
E’Twaun Moore - Purdue
Michael Flowers - Wisconsin
THIRD TEAM ALL-BIG TEN:
Armon Bassett - Indiana
Shaun Pruitt - Illinois
Kosta Koufos - Ohio State
Jamelle Cornley - Penn State
Chris Kramer - Purdue
Marcus Landry - Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-BIG TEN:
Jamarcus Ellis - Indiana
Tony Freeman - Iowa
Kalin Lucas - Michigan State
Dan Coleman - Minnesota
Lawrence McKenzie - Minnesota
Kevin Coble - Northwestern
Craig Moore - Northwestern
Keaton Grant - Purdue
Trevon Hughes - Wisconsin
TUBBY'S TOURNEYS
Head Coach Tubby Smith has had great success in conference tournament action. He holds a 28-10 (.737) all-time mark in tourney play. He has won five conference tournaments, all at Kentucky (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004). He has won at least one game in 13 of 15 conference tournaments. His Kentucky Wildcats did not win a game in 2000 and 2002.
TUBBY'S 400TH
With the Gophers’ 77-65 victory over Michigan Jan. 31 in Ann Arbor, head coach Tubby Smith become a member of the 400 win club. Smith is 405-157 in 17 seasons as a head coach (79-43 at Tulsa, 45-19 at Georgia, 263-83 at Kentucky and 18-12 at Minnesota). Coming into the season, only 19 active coaches had amassed at least 400 career wins.
Bob Knight leads all coaches (active & retired) with a record of 902-371 in 42 seasons on the bench with Army, Indiana and four-plus seasons as the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
SEASON RECORD WATCH
Minnesota has 274 steals on the season, which ranks third all-time in school history. The record of 292 was set in 2004-05. Al Nolen ranks eighth in season steals all-time with 59. His 32 steals in conference play ties him with Qunicy Lewis for seventh all-time. Damian Johnson has 34 thefts in conference action, which ranks sixth all-time.
The Gophers also have 477 assists, which is just 13 from the all-time top five for a season. The record of 558 was set in 1989-90. Nolen is tied for ninth all-time with Kevin Burleson (2001-02) and Arriel McDonald (1991-92) with 68 assists in Big Ten play this season.
DEFENSE
The Gophers defense was strong through the non-conference portion of the schedule and it has continued into the Big Ten schedule. Through 30 games, the Gophers have averaged 9.1 steals per game, tops in the conference, blocked 4.2 shots per game, fifth in the conference, have averaged 21.3 defensive rebounds per game while holding opponents to 63.9 points per game.
Individually, Gopher freshman Al Nolen leads the Gophers and is second in the Big Ten Conference in steals with 2.0 spg while sophomore Damian Johnson holds the team-lead in blocks, swatting 1.3 per game (sixth in the conference).
COLEMAN ON THE CHARTS
Senior Dan Coleman became just the 34th player in school history to record 1,000 career points, thanks to a 22-point effort in the Gophers 91-74 victory over Colorado State on Dec. 8. Coleman has added 271 points since and currently is 15th place on the career points list with 1,289. Mychal Thompson (1974-78) sits atop the list with 1,992 career points.
Also, with 14 rebounds vs. Northwestern (1/9) Coleman become just the 17th Gopher player with 1,000 points and 500 boards in a career. Michael Bauer was the last Gopher to join the club, reaching the milestone in 2004. With his one blocked shot against Illinois on March 8, Coleman now has 111 career blocks and is tied with John Shasky for eighth place on Minnesota’s all-time list. Coleman has also played in 123 career games, tied for the fourth most in team history.
SHARP SHOOTER
Freshman Blake Hoffarber not only has the fourth highest three-point field accuracy in Big Ten Conference at .422 (65-147), but looks to move in on teammate Lawrence McKenzie’s record for three point field goals in a season (78) set last year.
Hoffarber has already broken the Gophers’ mark for three-pointers by a freshman, which was set by Voshon Lenard (51) in 1991-92.
THREE-POINTERS BY A GOPHER FRESHMAN
Player (Season) 3FGM
Blake Hoffarber (2007-08) 65
Voshon Lenard (1991-92) 51
Kevin Burleson (1999-00) 44
Michael Bauer (2000-01) 34
Quincy Lewis (1995-96) 26
FRESHMAN FIRE
Minnesota has relied heavily on its two freshmen, Al Nolen and Blake Hoffarber this season.
Nolen is averaging 4.5 points, 3.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 22.7 minutes per game this season. He has tied for or led the Gophers in assists in 17 of the 29 games he has played in, including a career-high eight Feb. 9 vs. Iowa. He has recorded 59 steals (2.03 spg), which ranks him second overall in the Big Ten and ranks sixth in the Big Ten in assists at 3.66 per game and fifth in the conference with a 1.93 assist/turnover ratio.
Hoffarber is averaging 8.8 points for the Gophers this season and is shooting .458 (88-192) from the floor, including .422 (65-147) from behind the arc, the fourth highest percentage in the Big Ten Conference. He scored a season-high 21 points, hitting 6-of-11 three pointers, off the bench Dec. 8 against Colorado State. Hoffarber also came off the bench to contribute 13 points Dec. 1 against UC Riverside, 10 points against North Dakota State on Dec. 3, nine points Dec. 12 against South Dakota State and 13, 10 and 13 points, respectively during the three-game Duel in the Desert after Christmas. He chipped in with five points off the bench in the Gophers conference opener Jan. 5 at Michigan State, scored 15 points in the Gophers conference home opener on Jan. 9 vs. Northwestern, 19 at Penn State on Jan. 12, 15 points in the first start of his Gopher career on Feb. 6 at Northwestern, eight points in another start vs. Iowa on Feb. 9, 10 in a win over Ohio State (3/1) and had 14 points to go along with six rebounds at Illinois (3/8).
FRESHMAN RANKINGS WITHIN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Assists Average (Big Ten Ranking)
1. Michael Thompson, NU 4.3 (3)
2. Kalin Lucas, MSU 3.9 (5)
3. Al Nolen, MINN 3.7 (6)
4. Demetri McCamey, ILL 3.2 (11)
5. Jeff Peterson, IOWA 3.1 (12)
Steals Average (Big Ten Ranking)
1. Al Nolen, MINN 2.0 (2)
2. Manny Harris, MICH 1.5 (8)
3. Talor Battle, PSU 1.3 (T10)
4. Robbie Hummel, PUR 1.3 (T10)
5. Eric Gordon, IND 1.3 (12)
3-Point FG % Average (Big Ten Ranking)
1. Robbie Hummel, PUR .463 (2)
2. Blake Hoffarber, MINN .433 (4)
3. E’ Twaun Moore, PUR .420 (6)
4. Michael Thompson, NU .417 (7)
5. Jordan Crawford, IND .392 (13)
3-Point FG Made Average (Big Ten Ranking)
1. Eric Gordon, IND 2.3 (T6)
2. Blake Hoffarber, MINN 2.2 (9)
3. E’ Twaun Moore, PUR 1.9 (11)
4. Talor Battle, PSU 1.5 (13)
Assist/Turnover Ratio Average (Big Ten Ranking)
1. Michael Thompson, NU 2.05 (4)
2. Al Nolen, MINN 1.93 (5)
3. Kalin Lucas, MSU 1.90 (6)
4. Talor Battle, PSU 1.38 (11)
5. Demetri McCamey, ILL 1.31 (12)
STAT SHEET FILLER
Minnesota forward Damian Johnson has been filling up the stat sheet all season. The sophomore from Thibodaux, La. started the regular season with a bang, as he came off the bench to score 12 points, grab eight rebounds, block four shots while also stealing four balls, all career highs at the time. He tied a career-high in points on Dec. 1 against UC Riverside while also grabbing seven rebounds, blocking three shots and stealing three balls. Johnson dished out a career-high five assists and tied a career-high with five steals against Ohio State on Jan. 26. He also contributed eight points and six rebounds. Johnson established a new career-high with five blocks against Wisconsin to go along with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal while playing a career-high 34 minutes.
Against Iowa on Feb. 9, Johnson played 31 minutes off the bench and scored nine points on 4-of-8 shooting and also contributed a team-high seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and an assist. He grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds, seven of which were offensive, against Illinois on Feb. 12 while also scoring nine points, swiping four balls and blocking a shot. Also, Johnson contributed five points, six rebounds and a steal against Wisconsin (2/16).
Johnson is sixth on the team in scoring at 6.7 ppg, second on the team in rebounding at 4.5 rpg, leads the team in blocks with 40 (1.3 bpg) and has the second most steals (52, 1.7 spg), which is fifth most in the conference.
Johnson helped limit Indiana’s Eric Gordon to 12 points on Jan. 17. Gordon managed just 3-for-8 shooting on the night. It was Gordon’s second lowest total this year, and lowest in Big Ten play. The three field goals were also tied for his second-lowest total of the season. He came into the Jan. 17 contest averaging 23.0 points per game. Johnson forced seven Gordon turnovers, while racking up five steals, three blocks and scored eight points.
