University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
UNC Wilmington
Morris, Minnesota Defeat UNC-Wilmington
12/27/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Carlos Morris scored a career-high 24 points as Minnesota defeated UNC Wilmington 108-82 on Saturday.
Morris hit 8 of 15 shots and all seven of his free throws as the Gophers (11-2) overcame an early nine-point deficit to win going away.
Nate Mason had 18 points, Mo Walker added 17 and DeAndre Mathieu 13 with four steals and a career-best 11 assists. Charles Buggs hit three 3-pointers and scored 13 for Minnesota.
Freddie Jackson led UNCW with 21 points, while Craig Ponder and Addison Spruill each scored 12 and Malik Pugh added 10.
Jackson hit a pair of 3-pointers early as the Seahawks (5-5) built a 29-20 lead before Minnesota turned the game around with a 19-0 run. Morris converted back-to-back three-point plays to give the Gophers the lead. Then Mathieu scored on a baseline drive and hit a 3-pointer from the wing as Minnesota began to pull away.
UNCW built its lead on hot shooting - the Seahawks started the game 9 for 12 from the floor, including 4 for 6 on 3-pointers. They also out-rebounded the Gophers 21-11 in the first half. But they committed 16 first-half turnovers, compared to just two for the Gophers.
TIP-INS
UNCW: Seahawks head coach Kevin Keatts worked with Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino when the two were assistants at Louisville during the 2011-12 season. Pitino served as associate head coach under his father, Rick, a role Keatts filled last year before taking over at UNCW.
Minnesota: The Gophers scored at least 80 points for the seventh straight game, their longest such streak since 1966. They also topped 100 points for the second time this year. The last time they had multiple 100-point games in a season was 1996-97, when they reached the NCAA Final Four.
UP NEXT
UNCW: The Seahawks wrap up nonconference play on Tuesday when they take on Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
Minnesota: The Gophers open Big Ten play on Wednesday afternoon at Purdue.
