University of Minnesota Athletics
Fast Break: Nebraska
3/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Recap | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
SERIES, ETC.
Tonight's 88-73 win was the 66th all-time meeting between Minnesota and Nebraska (not counting vacated games), with the Gophers now holding a 51-15 lead (Minnesota leads 36-7 in Minneapolis). The victory for the Gophers was their fourth-straight against the Huskers at Williams Arena, and increased Minnesota's current winning streak to eight games. Minnesota improved to 23-7 overall and 11-6 in the B1G, while Nebraska fell to 12-17 (6-11). Head coach Richard Pitino is 2-3 against NU, and 29-47 against Big Ten foes, while Minnesota now stands at 746-809 all-time in B1G play. Coach Pitino's fourth-year record at Minnesota is 74-58, and his five-year career mark is 92-72.
MINNESOTA WITH 11 B1G WINS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1990
Minnesota has now won eight-straight Big Ten games to move to 11-6 in conference play for the first time since 1989-90, when the Gophers started 11-5 in B1G play before losing their final two regular season games and going 11-7. That year's team advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and ended with a record of 23-9. Prior to this season (not counting vacated seasons), Minnesota's last eight-game regular season winning streak in Big Ten play was a nine-game stretch during 1972-73. The Gophers have 23 regular season victories for the first time since 1976-77.
HOME SWEET HOME
With tonight's win, the Gophers improved to 17-3 at Williams Arena this season, tying the 2013-14 team for the most regular season wins at The Barn in a single season. The 2013-14 Gophers were 17-3 at home during the regular season, then went 3-0 at home on the way to the NIT championship.
STARTING FIVE
For the 11th 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 65th career start in Maroon and Gold, while Murphy was in the starting lineup for the 50th consecutive time. Lynch, a redshirt junior who transferred from Illinois State, has started 29 games for the Gophers, while Coffey also made his 29th career start. Springs made his 12th start with the Gophers. Minnesota is 8-3 this season utilizing that starting five.
MURPHY'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE RUN CONTINUES
Jordan Murphy finished with 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double in the past seven games. Murphy now has 11 double-doubles this season, and 20 for his career. Murphy had 12 points and five rebounds at the half, and he finished the game by going 7-of-10 from the field and 6-of-9 at the free throw line. He's reached double-figures for points 18 times this season, and has 12 double-digit rebounding efforts. Over his past seven games, Murphy is averaging 17.6 points and 13.6 rebounds.
MASON LEADS ALL SCORERS WITH 25 POINTS
Nate Mason stretched his double-figure scoring streak to 10 straight games, as he led all players with 25 points in the win. Mason has scored in double-figures 27 times this season, and he's averaging 19.0 points per game over the past 10 games. Against Nebraska, Mason made 9-of-13 field goals and 6-of-6 free throws, while dishing out four assists and adding two steals. Tonight's game was the 90th of Mason's career.
LYNCH MOVES PAST 100 BLOCKED SHOTS THIS SEASON
Reggie Lynch broke Minnesota's single-season school record for blocked shots in his last game, and he added six more to his total tonight, becoming Minnesota's first-ever player with 100 or more blocks in a season. Lynch entered tonight's game with 95 blocked shots, so he now stands at 101, which leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally. In addition, he had 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, six rebounds, tied his career-high with three steals and added three assists. Tonight was Lynch's 18th game with three or more blocks.
McBRAYER HAS BIG SECOND HALF
Dupree McBrayer had just four first-half points, but he heated up after the break, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-3 three-pointers. It was McBrayer's fourth-straight game in double figures off the bench, and was his 18th double-digit game this season. McBrayer also led the Gophers with six assists and added a pair of steals in 27 minutes.
MISCELLANEOUS ODDS AND ENDS
Among odds and ends in tonight's game, Nate Mason (25) and Jordan Murphy (20) each reached 20 points in the same game for the second time this season. They both had 25 points during the 101-89 double-overtime win against Iowa on Feb. 8 … Mason moved past 450 points this season and 1,150 career points during tonight's game … Mason moved past Rodney Williams and now ranks 28th on Minnesota's all-time scoring list with 1,159 points … Murphy's 20 points give him an even 700 for his career … Akeem Springs made his 100th field goal this season … Dupree McBrayer was credited with his 150th career assist … Minnesota held its 23rd halftime lead, and the Gophers are 18-5 in those games … the Gophers improved to 11-2 this season when wearing their Gold uniforms.
