University of Minnesota Athletics
Postgame Notes
11/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | USATSI Gallery 
MINNESOTA MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
Minnesota (1-1) 76, Western Kentucky (1-1) 54
NIT Season Tip-Off | Tuesday, November 18
Williams Arena | Minneapolis, Minn.
Attendance: 10,763 (14,625 capacity)
Team / Series Notes
• Tonight's game was just the second all-time meeting in men's basketball between Minnesota and Western Kentucky, with the Gophers improving to 2-0 against the Hilltoppers.
• Minnesota was making its first appearance in the NIT Season Tip-Off (formerly the Preseason NIT) since the 1997-98 season, which was later vacated.
• Head coach Richard Pitino improved his record at Minnesota to 26-14, while his three-year overall record moved to 44-28.
• Minnesota forced 25 turnovers, and the Gophers scored 19 points off those WKU miscues.
• Minnesota recorded 17 steals, the most in almost seven years (18, 12/22/07 vs. Santa Clara) and four shy of the school record of 21.
Individual Notes
• Senior forward Maurice Walker led the Gophers with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while also tying his career high with three steals. It's Walker's 13th career double-digit scoring game, and his second this season.
• Senior guard DeAndre Mathieu scored 11 points, while recording a career-best five steals, tying for team-high honors with five rebounds, and dishing out a team-high six assists.
• Junior forward Joey King made 2-of-5 three-pointers and finished with 10 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists. It was King's 19th career double-figure scoring game and his first this season.
• Freshman guard Nate Mason recorded his second double-digit output in as many games with 10 points off the bench. Mason made 4-of-5 field goals, including a pair of first-half three-pointers, while also tying with Mathieu with a team-best five boards.
• Junior guard Carlos Morris had nine points, four rebounds, and a team-high two blocked shots.
• Senior guard Andre Hollins had five points, four assists, four steals and three rebounds.
