University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Set for Tip-Off Championship Game
11/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Minnesota vs. West Virginia - (6:30 p.m. ESPN2):
The Gophers defeated No. 8 North Carolina Friday night in the semi-finals of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and will now play for the tournament championship against West Virginia Sunday night. The Mountaineers defeated Davidson and Vanderbilt en route to the championship game.
Blake Hoffarber leads the Gophers in scoring during the Puerto Rico Tip-Off at 18.0 points per game. He is also averaging 4.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game and tied a tournament record with nine dimes in the opener against Western Kentucky.
Ralph Sampson III is right behind Hoffarber at 17.0 points oer game and his also contributing 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. He swatted seven shots against Western Kentucky to tie a tournament record. Trevor Mbakwe, who is averaging a double-double for the season, is third on the team in San Juan with 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
Minnesota is shooting .523 from the field in its two victories, including a tournament record .625 from the field in the opener against Western Kentucky.
West Virginia is led by senior guard Casey Mitchell, who is averaging 18.3 points per game. Mitchell helped the Mountaineers get to the championship game with a game-winning three-pointer with seconds remaining on Friday against Vanderbilt.
Gophers and In-Season Tournaments:
The Gophers have a combined record of 69-40 in in-season tournaments, dating back to the Chicago District Olympic Tournament during the 1935-36 season.
Minnesota is 8-3 under Tubby Smith in in-season tournaments, including a 3-0 record in the NABC Classic to start the 2008-09 season. The Gophers hosted the event to coincide with Tubby Smith's stint as NABC President. Minnesota went 1-2 last year in the 76 Classic with its win coming against #10 Butler.
The most success in the history of the program in in-season tournaments came during the eight seasons in which the Gophers hosted the Pillsbury Classic from 1974-82. Minnesota never dropped a game in the history of the event, finishing 16-0.
Series history:
- Third meeting (0-2) - First meeting since the 1980 season. The Gophers and Mountaineers met during the 1996 season but the game has since been vacated.
- The Gophers are 50-50 all-time against teams currently in the Big East Conference.
(2-3 vs. Cincinnati (4 games vacated); 2-1 vs. Connecticut; 7-9 vs. De Paul; 1-2 vs. Georgetown; 3-1 vs. Louisville (1 game vacated); 18-14 vs. Marquette; 8-14 vs. Notre Dame; 1-2 vs. Pittsburgh; 2-0 vs. Providence; 2-0 vs. Rutgers;0-1 vs. Seton Hall (1 game vacated); 1-0 vs. Syracuse; 2-0 vs. South Florida; 1-1 vs. Villanova (2 games vacated); 0-2 vs. West Virginia (1 game vacated)) - Minnesota has never faced St. John's.
- Tubby Smith is 1-0 against West Virgina and a combined 17-10 against teams in the ACC.
