University of Minnesota Athletics
Fast Break: NJIT
12/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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SERIES, ETC.
Tonight's 74-68 win was the first all-time meeting between Minnesota and NJIT, a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. Head coach Richard Pitino is 1-0 against NJIT, and 2-1 against ASun foes, while Minnesota now stands at 6-0 against current members of the ASun. Coach Pitino's fourth-year record at Minnesota now stands at 59-52, and his five-year career mark is 77-66. Minnesota is 8-1 for the first time since 2012-13, when the Gophers started 15-1.
STARTING FIVE
Coach Pitino utilized a starting lineup of juniors Nate Mason and Reggie Lynch, sophomores Dupree McBrayer and Jordan Murphy, and true freshman Amir Coffey. Mason made his team-leading 44th career start in Maroon and Gold, while Murphy was in the starting lineup for the 29th time and McBrayer made his 23rd start. Lynch, a redshirt junior who transferred from Illinois State, has started eight games for the Gophers, while Coffey made his ninth career start. The Gophers are 6-1 with that starting unit this season.
HOT SPRINGS
Akeem Springs had his best performance with the Golden Gophers, as he finished with a team-high 19 points and season-high seven rebounds in the win. Springs knocked down 6-of-12 field goals, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc, while logging a season-best 29 minutes. Springs has scored in double-figures five times this season, and he's connected on three or more treys four times.
MASON HAS SEASON-HIGH
Nate Mason finished with a season-high 18 points, making 7-of-11 field goals, which included 4-of-5 from three-point range. The four trifectas was a season-high for the junior guard and just one off his career-high five versus Illinois on Jan. 23, 2016. Mason has reached double-figures in eight of nine games this season and 45 times during his career.
LYNCH ADDS FIVE TO BLOCKED SHOT TOTAL
Reggie Lynch entered tonight's game atop the Big Ten and ranked sixth nationally in blocks per game. Tonight, he swatted five more shots, increasing his season total to 30 in eight games, an average of 3.8 per game. Lynch also scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds. Lynch, who missed the Southern Illinois game with an injury, is averaging 8.3 points and 6.6 rebounds to go with his blocked shots figure.
COFFEY HITS THE GLASS
Amir Coffey helped the Gophers to a 44-39 edge in rebounding by leading the team with a career-high eight boards to go with 13 points, three assists and a steal. Coffey's previous best had been four rebounds. The 6-foot-8 freshman guard leads Minnesota in scoring at 13.8 points per game, while grabbing 3.7 rebounds per game. He has scored in double-figures in seven games this season.
FREE THROWS
Minnesota made 23-of-29 (.793) free throws in the game, helping it reach its eighth win in nine tries this season. Amir Coffey led the Gophers by making 9-of-11 attempts, while Dupree McBrayer was a perfect 6-of-6. The 23-of-29 figure tied for a season-best, as the Gophers also made 23-of-29 against St. John's. For the season, Minnesota players have combined to make 171-of-249 (.687) free throws this season.
MISCELLANEOUS ODDS AND ENDS
Among odds and ends in tonight's game, Nate Mason scored his 800th career point … Dupree McBrayer scored his 250th career point … Jordan Murphy made his 100th career free throw … Bakary Konate blocked his 50th career shot … over the past three games, Konate is averaging 6.7 rebounds, with seven boards in each of the last two games … Minnesota held its seventh halftime lead, and the Gophers are 6-1 in those games … the Gophers improved to 5-0 when wearing their White uniforms this season.
