University of Minnesota Athletics
Game Preview: Minnesota at Purdue
12/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| Minnesota (11-2, 0-0) at Purdue (8-5, 0-0) | |
| Date / Time | Wednesday, December 31 | 2:15 p.m. CT |
| Location | Mackey Arena - West Lafayette, Ind. |
| Tickets | Click Here |
| TV/Live Video | BTN | BTN2Go |
| Radio | 1500 ESPN | Listen Online |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Purdue |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Purdue |
| Social Media | @GopherMBB | Facebook |
Dec. 30, 2014
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Time: 3:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. CT
Location: West Lafayette, Ind.
Arena: Mackey Arena (14,846)
TV: BTN - Eric Collins (Play-by-Play); Dan Bonner (Analyst)
Radio: Learfield/1500 ESPN Twin Cities - Corbu Stathes (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Satellite Radio: XM 195/Sirius 92
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 167th Meeting (76-90)
Series (Away): 85th Meeting (24-59)
Current Streak: L-1
Richard Pitino vs. Purdue: 1-1
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 726-772
Richard Pitino vs. Big Ten: 9-11
GAME DAY TID-BITS
• Minnesota begins its 110th season of Big Ten Conference play on New Year's Eve when it visits Purdue.
• The Gophers have won eight straight games, the last seven by double-digits including a 26-point win over UNCW on Saturday.
• MInnesota finished its non-conference schedule with an 11-2 record, including a perfect 9-0 mark at home. It is the fourth straight season the Gophers posted a perfect home non-conference record.
• Purdue is coming off a eight-day break following an 89-84 home loss to Gardner-Webb in the Boilermakers' non-conference finale.
• Guard Nate Mason was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Dec. 22, while the Gophers earned back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week awards: Andre Hollins (12/8) and Maurice Walker (12/15).
• The Gophers have now scored 80+ points for the seventh straight game. Minnesota has accomplished the feat once before, over a seven game stretch in Feb.-Mar. 1966.
• As of Dec. 29, the Gophers lead the nation in assists per game (20.2) and are second in steals per game (12.4) and third in turnover margin (+7.2). Senior DeAndre Mathieu is seventh nationally in assist/turnover ratio (3.91) and 11th in assists per game (6.6) and steals per game (2.8).
• Minnesota leads the Big Ten Conference in all three of those categories, and is third in scoring margin (+18.8) and fourth in field goal (.499) and 3-point shooting (.419) .
• Mathieu leads the B1G in assist/turnover ratio and steals, and is second in assists. Senior Maurice Walker is fourth in field goal shooting (.653). Freshman Nate Mason's 51.2-percent 3-point shooting ranks second, while Senior Andre Hollins ranks fourth in 3-point shooting (.478) and 16th in scoring (13.7 ppg).
• The Gophers are 11-2 on the season, reaching that mark in back-to-back years under second-year head coach Richard Pitino.
