University of Minnesota Athletics
Game Preview: Minnesota vs. North Dakota
12/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| Minnesota (6-2) vs. North Dakota (3-4) | |
| Date / Time | Monday, December 8 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Location | Williams Arena - Directions |
| Tickets | MyGopherSports.com |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| TV/Live Video | ESPNU | WatchESPN |
| Radio | 1500 ESPN | Listen Online |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | UND |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | UND |
| Social Media | @GopherMBB | Facebook |
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Monday, December 8, 2014
Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Arena: Williams Arena (14,625)
TV: ESPNU - Clay Matvick (Play-by-Play); LaPhonso Ellis (Analyst)
Radio: Learfield/1500 ESPN Twin Cities -
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 84/XM 84
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 20th Meeting (17-2)
Series (Home): 19th Meeting (16-2)
Current Streak: Minnesota, W-11
Richard Pitino vs. UND: First Meeting
Minnesota vs. Big Sky: 29-3 (see page 2)*
Richard Pitino vs. Big Sky: 1-0
* - Series records exclude vacated games.
GAME DAY TID-BITS
• Minnesota continues a six-game December homestand on Monday evening hosting border rival North Dakota.
• The Gophers have won three straight games, including Friday's 20-point win over Western Carolina.
• North Dakota is coming off a 63-62 win at Drake on Saturday night, improving their season record to 3-4.
• Despite sharing a border and just over 300 miles between campuses, this is the first meeting between Minnesota and UND in more than 30 years.
• Minnesota last faced UND on Dec. 22, 1983, a 78-73 win at Williams Arena. The Gophers have won 11 straight games in the series, which dates back to 1914.
• With their 84-point output in the win over WCU on Friday, the Gophers have now scored 80+ points for the second straight game. Minnesota last did that in the first two games of the 2013-14 season in wins over Lehigh (81) and Montana (84).
• Through eight games, the Gophers lead the Big Ten in steals (92, 11.5 spg), assists (149, 18.6) and turnover margin (+6.3), total figures that rank fourth and ninth and sixth, respectively, in the country. Senior DeAndre Mathieu is third in assists (44, 5.5 apg), and fourth in steals (18, 2.3 spg). Junior Carlos Morris is second in steals (24, 3.0 spg) among B1G players, ranking sixth nationally..
• The Gophers are 6-2 on the season, reaching that mark in back-to-back years under second-year head coach Richard Pitino.
• Morris tallied eight steals on Dec. 2 at Wake, a career-high and one shy of the school record (9), set by Melvin Newbern vs. Rider on Jan. 3, 1990.
• On Nov. 18 against Western Kentucky, Minnesota swiped 17 steals, the most in seven years since recording 18 against Santa Clara (Dec. 22, 2007). The Gophers were just four shy of tying the school record of 21, set vs. Rider on Jan. 3, 1990.
