University of Minnesota Athletics
Preview: Gophers vs. NIU
12/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| Minnesota (9-1) vs. Northern Illinois (4-4) | |
| Date / Time | Sunday, Dec. 11 | 4 p.m. |
| Location | Williams Arena - Directions |
| Tickets | MyGopherSports.com |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| TV/Live Video | BTN/BTN2Go |
| Radio | 1500 ESPN |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | NIU |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | NIU |
| Social Media | @GopherMBB | Facebook |
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, December 11, 2016
Time: 4:00 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Arena: Williams Arena (14,625)
TV/Live Video: BTN - Ryan Russell (Play-by-Play); David Nelson (Analyst); Allie Krings (Sideline)
Radio: Learfield/1500 ESPN -
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: Sixth Meeting (5-0)
Series (Home): Fifth Meeting (4-0)
Current Streak: W-5
Richard Pitino vs. NIU: First Meeting
Minnesota vs. MAC: 21-2*
Richard Pitino vs. MAC: First Meeting
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Minnesota men's basketball team welcomes Northern Illinois to the Barn for a Sunday matinee. Current Gopher graduate student Akeem Springs spent two seasons with the Huskies, who are making their first trip to Minneapolis in seven seasons.
• The Gophers have won three straight and, with nine wins and one loss, are off to their best start in four years. Minnesota received a vote in the Associated Press poll for the second consecutive week. In the latest edition of the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), the Gophers stand in ninth place.
• Redshirt junior Reggie Lynch has blocked 15 shots in his last three games, helping his continued ascent up the national rankings among shot blockers. The Edina, Minn. native now has 35 blocks on the season, leading both the team and the Big Ten Conference and ranking fourth nationally with an average of 3.8 blocks per game. He is spearheading the Minnesota team blocking effort which leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth in Division I at 7.1 blocks per game.
• Minnesota earned a 37-point win on Friday night over Georgia Southern, marking their largest margin of victory since defeating Franklin Pierce 109-57 on Nov. 20, 2014. It was the Gophers largest win over a Division I opponent since the 89-48 win over Northern Illinois on Dec. 15, 2009 in the two teams' last game.
• The Gophers have been able to hang their hat on defense this season thus far. Minnesota is allowing opponents to connect on just 35.2 percent of their field goal attempts, leading the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense and ranking sixth nationally in that category. In addition to ranking in the top-10 in that category and blocks per game, Minnesota is also 10th in defensive rebounds per game (31.0) in the NCAA rankings (as of Dec. 8).
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
• Northern Illinois comes to Minneapolis with a 4-4 record, having dropped four of its last five after starting the season with three straight victories. Most recently, the Huskies fell at Indiana State, 63-52, on Nov. 30.
• This is just the third road game for NIU, as they have played six of eight in DeKalb.
• Marin Maric leads a quartet of double-figure NIU scorers averaging 14.6 points per game.
GOPHERS VS. THE MAC
• Minnesota has amassed a record of 21-2 against the current members of the Mid-American Conference.
• That total includes the following individual opponent records: Akron (2-0), Ball State (1-1), Bowling Green (3-0), Central Michigan (3-0), Eastern Michigan (2-0), Miami (1-0), NIU (5-0), Ohio (2-0), Toledo (2-1).
• Minnesota has faced all but three of the MAC schools - the exceptions being Buffalo, Kent State and Western Michigan.
• The Gophers haven't played a MAC school since facing Toledo on Nov. 12, 2012.
MORE TIME ON THE SMALL SCREEN
• The University of Minnesota, in conjunction with the Big Ten Network, announced Wednesday that Sunday's men's basketball game against Northern Illinois will now be televised live on BTN. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. against the Huskies.
• Sunday's broadcast will be produced as part of the BTN Student U program, with Minnesota students fully staffing the entire telecast. Students Ryan Russell and David Nelson will announce the game, while Allie Krings will be the sideline reporter. All three have extensive experience in broadcasting Gopher sporting events for BTN Student U.
• This game marks the fourth time in network history that a Student U production of a men's basketball game will air live on BTN and BTN2Go.
