University of Minnesota Athletics
Fast Break: Wisconsin
1/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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SERIES, ETC.
This afternoon's 78-76 overtime loss was the 190th all-time meeting (not counting vacated games) between Minnesota and Wisconsin, with the Gophers holding a 96-94 lead (Gophers lead 63-35 in Minneapolis). The loss for the Gophers was the sixth straight against the Badgers, and it was the first overtime game versus UW since a 58-53 home win on Feb. 14, 2013. Head coach Richard Pitino is 1-6 against UW, and 21-45 against Big Ten foes, while Minnesota now stands at 738-807 all-time in B1G play. Coach Pitino's fourth-year record at Minnesota now stands at 66-56, and his five-year career mark is 84-70.
STARTING FIVE
For the first time this season, Coach Pitino utilized a starting lineup of redshirt senior Akeem Springs, juniors Nate Mason and Reggie Lynch, sophomore Jordan Murphy, and true freshman Amir Coffey. Mason made his team-leading 55th career start in Maroon and Gold, while Murphy was in the starting lineup for the 40th time. Those two players have started every game this season. Lynch, a redshirt junior who transferred from Illinois State, has started 19 games for the Gophers, while Coffey also made his 19th career start. Springs made his second start with the Gophers. His previous start was against LIU Brooklyn.
SPRINGS HAS BIG GAME
Akeem Springs made his second start of the season this afternoon, and he was one of three Gophers to reach double-figures as he finished with 16 points and three rebounds in the setback. Springs made 6-of-12 field goals, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and it was his three-pointer that tied the game at 67-67 and eventually sent it to overtime. The point total for Springs was his 10th double-figure effort of the season.
COFFEY LEADS THE WAY
Amir Coffey played in his first Border Battle game and paced Minnesota with 19 points to go with five rebounds, three assists, one blocked shot and a steal. Coffey made 8-of-14 field goals, going 3-of-4 from three-point range in a team-high 41 minutes. Coffey, who has twice been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week this season, reached double figures for the 11th time.
SLUGGING IT OUT
Minnesota and Wisconsin went back and forth all afternoon long, with neither team holding a lead bigger than five points in the overtime contest. The lead changed hands 17 times and there were 18 ties during the 45-minute battle. Minnesota made 30-of-64 (.469) field goals, while Wisconsin connected on 31-of-62 (.500). The Gophers were 9-of-17 (.529) from beyond the arc, while the Badgers were 7-of-14. Wisconsin held a slim 36-33 edge in rebounding, but the Badgers finished with a 44-24 advantage on points in the paint.
MISCELLANEOUS ODDS AND ENDS
Among odds and ends in today's game, Nate Mason dished out a game-high 10 assists, his second double-figure assists game this season … Reggie Lynch reached 450 career rebounds and 750 career points … Lynch also blocked five shots to give him 59 this season, his 11th game with three or more blocked shots … Minnesota held its 16th halftime lead, and the Gophers are 12-4 in those games … the Gophers fell to 7-2 this season when wearing their Gold uniforms … this was Minnesota's third overtime game in conference play this season, the first time that has happened since 2011-12 … the attendance of 14,625 was Minnesota's first sellout crowd since also having a capacity crowd versus the Badgers on March 5, 2015.
