University of Minnesota Athletics
Fast Break: USC Upstate
11/10/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Recap | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
SERIES, ETC.
Tonight's 92-77 win was the first all-time meeting between Minnesota and USC Upstate. No. 15 / 15 Minnesota opens its 123rd season with its third-straight season-opening victory, while USC Upstate dropped its 2017-18 season opener on the road. Head coach Richard Pitino is 1-0 against USCU, and 7-0 against Atlantic Sun foes, while Minnesota now stands at 1,451-1,082 all-time. Coach Pitino's fifth-year record at Minnesota is 76-61, and his six-year career mark is 94-75.
MINNESOTA ENTERS FIRST SEASON SINCE 2009 IN THE POLLS
The Gophers began the season ranked 15th nationally in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, the first time Minnesota has entered a season with a national ranking since being 25th in the AP poll entering 2009-10. It's the Gophers' highest preseason ranking since 1993-94, when they were 10th. Tonight's attendance of 10,836 was the largest for a season-opener since drawing 12,957 vs. Lehigh on Nov. 8, 2013, and the 92 points scored was the most for Minnesota in an opener since a 108-64 win versus SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 2, 1992.
STARTING FIVE
Coach Pitino utilized a starting lineup of seniors Nate Mason and Reggie Lynch, juniors Jordan Murphy and Dupree McBrayer, and sophomore Amir Coffey. Mason made his team-leading 70th career start (64th consecutive) in Maroon and Gold, while Murphy was in the starting lineup for the 55th consecutive time. Lynch, who transferred from Illinois State, has started 34 games for the Gophers, while McBrayer started his 36th career game and Coffey made his 34th career start.
MURPHY HAS CAREER NIGHT
Jordan Murphy had career-high totals in five categories, finishing with his 22nd career double-double of 35 points and 15 rebounds. Murphy is the first Minnesota player with 35 points in a game since Andre Hollins recorded a career-best 41 points vs. Memphis on Nov. 23, 2012. Murphy's career-bests were for points, field goals made (13), field goals attempted (22), free throws made (9) and free throws attempted (15). His previous career-high had been 25 points versus Iowa on Feb. 8, 2017.
LYNCH OPENS WITH DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Reggie Lynch opened his senior season by recording his third career double-double at Minnesota. The 6-foot-10 center finished with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while pulling down 10 rebounds and adding four blocked shots in 26 minutes. Lynch, who struggled with fouls last season, committed just one foul this evening.
MASON REACHES DOUBLE-FIGURES
Nate Mason reached double-figures for the 68th time in his career, as he registered 11 points to go with five rebounds and four assists. Mason was held to 3-of-10 shooting, but connected on a pair of three-pointers, while going 3-for-4 at the free throw line.
THREE GOPHERS MAKE THEIR DEBUTS IN MAROON AND GOLD
Redshirt senior Davonte Fitzgerald and freshman guards Isaiah Washington and Jamir Harris all made their debuts in Maroon and Gold this evening. Harris went 2-of-4 from three-point range to finish with six points in 11 minutes, while Washington dished out a team-high five assists to go with four points and three rebounds in 23 minutes. Fitzgerald, a transfer from Texas A&M, had two points and four boards.
