University of Minnesota Athletics
Fast Break: Penn State
2/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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SERIES, ETC.
This afternoon's 81-71 win was the 35th all-time meeting between Minnesota and Penn State (not counting vacated games), with the Gophers now holding a 25-10 lead (Minnesota leads 13-3 in Minneapolis). The win for the Gophers was their seventh-straight, and it snapped a four-game losing streak in the series versus the Nittany Lions. Minnesota improved to 22-7 overall and 10-6 in the B1G, while Penn State fell to 14-15 (6-10). Head coach Richard Pitino is 4-4 against PSU, and 28-47 against Big Ten foes, while Minnesota now stands at 745-809 all-time in B1G play. Coach Pitino's fourth-year record at Minnesota is 73-58, and his five-year career mark is 91-72.
MINNESOTA AT 10-6 IN B1G FOR FIRST TIMES SINCE 2004-05
The Gophers have now won seven-straight Big Ten games to move to 10-6 in conference play for the first time since 2004-05, when the Gophers won their last four B1G games to go 10-6 in the conference and reached the NCAA Tournament. Minnesota now has 22 regular season victories for the first time since 1981-82.
STARTING FIVE
For the 10th 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 64th career start (58th consecutive) in Maroon and Gold, while Murphy was in the starting lineup for the 49th consecutive time. Lynch, a redshirt junior who transferred from Illinois State, has started 28 games for the Gophers, while Coffey also made his 28th career start. Springs made his 11th start with the Gophers.
MURPHY HAS FIFTH DOUBLE-DOUBLE IN PAST SIX GAMES
Jordan Murphy finished with 16 points and a game-high 16 rebounds for his fifth double-double in the past six games. Murphy now has 10 double-doubles this season, and 19 for his career. Murphy's 16 rebounds increased his season total to 253, while he moved past 500 boards for his career and now has 502. Murphy had nine points and 10 rebounds at the half, and he finished the game by going 4-of-6 from the field and a career-best 8-of-10 at the free throw line. He's reached double-figures for points 17 times this season, and has 11 double-digit rebounding efforts.
MASON JUST MISSES A TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Nate Mason grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds versus the Nittany Lions, while finishing with 16 points and a double-double. But Mason also dished out eight assists, narrowly missing a rare triple-double, which hasn't happened at Minnesota since Mychal Thompson had 34 points, 12 rebounds and 12 blocked shots against Ohio State on Jan. 26, 1976. Mason has now scored in double-figures 26 times this season, including a current streak of nine-straight, and he's had 15 games with five or more assists.
LYNCH SETS SINGLE-SEASON BLOCKED SHOTS RECORD
Reggie Lynch had one of his most dominant efforts of the season, as he recorded a career-high 11 blocked shots and broke Minnesota's single-season school record for blocks in the process. Lynch entered today's game with 84 blocked shots, and he broke Randy Breuer's record of 87 set during 1982-83. Lynch's 11 blocks were one shy of Mychal Thompson's single-game record of 12. Lynch added nine points, just missing a double-double. He had seven points and six blocked shots in the first half. Today was Lynch's 17th game with three or more blocks.
MISCELLANEOUS ODDS AND ENDS
Among odds and ends in today's game, Akeem Springs made his 400th career field goal and grabbed his 450th career rebound … Dupree McBrayer made his 150th career field goal and scored 13 points in the second half to give him 15 for the game, his third-straight double-figure game … Nate Mason recorded his 50th three-pointer, grabbed his 100th rebound and dished out his 150th assist of the season … Jordan Murphy made his 150th career free throw … Reggie Lynch grabbed his 175th rebound and scored his 225th point of the season, and recorded his 275th blocked shot and scored his 825th career point … Minnesota held its 22nd halftime lead, and the Gophers are 17-5 in those games … the Gophers improved to 10-2 this season when wearing their Gold uniforms … the attendance of 14,625 was Minnesota's second home sellout crowd this season.
