University of Minnesota Athletics
Fast Break: Niagara
11/15/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SERIES, ETC.
Tonight's 107-81 win was the third all-time meeting between Minnesota and Niagara, with the Gophers holding a 2-1 edge in the series (2-0 in Minneapolis). The game was the first between the Gophers and Purple Eagles since a 79-65 loss at Niagara on Dec. 19, 1973. Minnesota posted a 92-87 overtime win at home on Jan. 5, 1971. No. 14 / 15 Minnesota improved to 3-0 on the season, while Niagara fell to 1-1. Head coach Richard Pitino is 1-0 against Niagara, and 1-0 against MAAC foes, while Minnesota now stands at 1,453-1,082 all-time. Coach Pitino's fifth-year record at Minnesota is 78-61, and his six-year career mark is 96-75.
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 72nd career start (66th consecutive) in Maroon and Gold, while Murphy was in the starting lineup for the 57th consecutive time. Lynch, who transferred from Illinois State, has started 36 games for the Gophers, while McBrayer started his 38th career game and Coffey made his 36th career start.
LYNCH JUST MISSES RARE TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Reggie Lynch had an outstanding game, as he just missed a rare triple-double by tying his career-high with 18 points, 12 rebounds, nine blocked shots and a career-best six assists. Lynch, who made 8-of-12 field goals in the game, had a big first half with 12 points, six rebounds, tying his career-high with five assists and adding four blocked shots in the opening 20 minutes. Minnesota has had just one triple-double in program history. Mychal Thompson accomplished the feat with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 12 blocked shots versus Ohio State on Jan. 26, 1976.
CAUTION: THIS COFFEY IS HOT
Amir Coffey had his best game early this season, as he connected on 7-of-10 first-half field goals, including 3-of-4 from long-range, to register 17 points in 16 first-half minutes. He finished the game with a season-high 18 points to go with five assists, three rebounds and two steals.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Jordan Murphy recorded 18 points and 11 rebounds to finish with his third double-double of the season. Murphy, who made 8-of-13 field goals tonight, registered 16 points and seven rebounds after the break. It was the 24th career double-double for Murphy, who has averages of 25.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game, while making 31-of-50 (.620) field goals this season.
MASON DISHES OUT DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Nate Mason registered his fourth career double-double by dishing out a game-high 11 assists (zero turnovers) and adding 15 points. Mason is also the last player to record a point-assist double-double, as he had 31 points and 11 assists in the win at Purdue on Jan. 1, 2017. Mason's career-high is 12 assists, also versus Purdue, on Jan. 27, 2016. Through three games, Mason has 15 assists and just three turnovers.
GOPHERS SET SCHOOL RECORD FOR ASSISTS
As a team, Minnesota dished out a school-record 32 assists tonight, while only committing four turnovers. The total breaks the record of 30 assists, which Minnesota had versus Youngstown State on Dec. 2, 1991. The Gophers' total of 107 points was the most in a regulation game since a 109-57 win versus Franklin Pierce on Nov. 20, 2014. Through three games, the Gophers are averaging 95.0 points per game, the most since averaging 96.3 ppg to open the 1992-93 season.
