University of Minnesota Athletics
Preview: Gophers vs. Ohio State
1/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2017
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, January 8, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Arena: Williams Arena (14,625)
TV: BTN - Cory Provus (Play-by-Play); Bob Wenzel (Analyst)
Radio: Learfield/1500 ESPN - Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 83/XM 195
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 136th Meeting (50-85)
Series (Home): 67th Meeting (34-32)*
Current Streak: L-4
Richard Pitino vs. Ohio State: 1-4
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 737-804
Richard Pitino vs. Big Ten: 20-42
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Gopher men's basketball team returns home Sunday evening to host Ohio State, in one of just three January home games for Minnesota this season. Sunday's game is the midpoint of a stretch featuring four out of five away from the Barn.
• The Gophers have won back-to-back conference road games for the first time since the 2011-12 season, starting the season 2-1 in Big Ten play for the second time under head coach Richard Pitino.
• Minnesota received 56 votes in the Associated Press poll and nine in the USA Today Coaches Poll, occupying the highest spot outside the Top 25 in the former. In the latest edition of the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), the Gophers stand in fifth place.
• Redshirt junior Reggie Lynch sits among the nation's leaders in blocked shots. The Edina, Minn. native now has 47 blocks on the season, leading both the team and the Big Ten Conference and sixth nationally with an average of 3.2 blocks per game. He is spearheading the Minnesota team blocking effort which leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth in Division I at 6.4 blocks per game.
• The Gophers have been able to hang their hat on defense this season thus far. Minnesota is allowing opponents to connect on just 37.9 percent of their field goal attempts, ranking first in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense and 13th nationally in that category. In addition, Minnesota is also fourth in total blocks (102), 10th in defensive rebounds per game (29.8), and 10th in 3-point field goal defense (28.3 percent - 1st in B1G) in the NCAA rankings (as of Jan. 7).
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
• Ohio State comes to Minneapolis looking for its first Big Ten win of the season, after losses at Illinois and at home against Purdue.
• OSU is led by Jae'Sean Tate who averages 14.1 points per game on 54.5 percent field goal shooting. Trevor Thompson is third in the conference and leads the Buckeyes in rebounding, pulling down 8.7 boards per contest.
• The Buckeyes have been successful defending, as they rank 21st in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 38.6 percent.
| Minnesota (14-2, 2-1) vs. Ohio State (10-5, 0-2) | |
| Date / Time | Sunday, Jan. 8 | 6:30 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 | Ohio State |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Ohio State |
| Social Media | @GopherMBB | Facebook |
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, January 8, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Arena: Williams Arena (14,625)
TV: BTN - Cory Provus (Play-by-Play); Bob Wenzel (Analyst)
Radio: Learfield/1500 ESPN - Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 83/XM 195
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 136th Meeting (50-85)
Series (Home): 67th Meeting (34-32)*
Current Streak: L-4
Richard Pitino vs. Ohio State: 1-4
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 737-804
Richard Pitino vs. Big Ten: 20-42
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Gopher men's basketball team returns home Sunday evening to host Ohio State, in one of just three January home games for Minnesota this season. Sunday's game is the midpoint of a stretch featuring four out of five away from the Barn.
• The Gophers have won back-to-back conference road games for the first time since the 2011-12 season, starting the season 2-1 in Big Ten play for the second time under head coach Richard Pitino.
• Minnesota received 56 votes in the Associated Press poll and nine in the USA Today Coaches Poll, occupying the highest spot outside the Top 25 in the former. In the latest edition of the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), the Gophers stand in fifth place.
• Redshirt junior Reggie Lynch sits among the nation's leaders in blocked shots. The Edina, Minn. native now has 47 blocks on the season, leading both the team and the Big Ten Conference and sixth nationally with an average of 3.2 blocks per game. He is spearheading the Minnesota team blocking effort which leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth in Division I at 6.4 blocks per game.
• The Gophers have been able to hang their hat on defense this season thus far. Minnesota is allowing opponents to connect on just 37.9 percent of their field goal attempts, ranking first in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense and 13th nationally in that category. In addition, Minnesota is also fourth in total blocks (102), 10th in defensive rebounds per game (29.8), and 10th in 3-point field goal defense (28.3 percent - 1st in B1G) in the NCAA rankings (as of Jan. 7).
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
• Ohio State comes to Minneapolis looking for its first Big Ten win of the season, after losses at Illinois and at home against Purdue.
• OSU is led by Jae'Sean Tate who averages 14.1 points per game on 54.5 percent field goal shooting. Trevor Thompson is third in the conference and leads the Buckeyes in rebounding, pulling down 8.7 boards per contest.
• The Buckeyes have been successful defending, as they rank 21st in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 38.6 percent.
Players Mentioned
Center
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