University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, January 2
West Lafayette, IN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Purdue
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Jump Back into Big Ten Play at Purdue Thursday
12/31/2019 1:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN – Dave Revsine (Play-by-Play); Stephen Bardo (Analyst);
Olivia Dekker (Sideline)
Radio: Learfield/KFAN 100.3 FM – Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play);
Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 381
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 176th Meeting (80-95)*
Series (Away): 88th Meeting (25-62)*
Current Streak: W-2
Richard Pitino vs. Purdue: 5-6
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 762-836*
Richard Pitino vs. Big Ten: 45-74
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Minnesota men's basketball team, winners of its last three games, rings in the new year on Thursday at Purdue, in the only matchup between the two teams this season. Last season they met three times, with the Gophers taking the final two in Minneapolis and Chicago (Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals).
• For the second week in a row, the Gophers have earned the Big Ten Player of the Week award, given on Monday on sophomore center Daniel Oturu. Last week, sophomore guard Gabe Kalscheur earned a share of the award, with each posting career performances in victories. Minnesota has now won player of the week in back-to-back weeks in each of the last three seasons.
• The Gophers posted the biggest win of the Richard Pitino era, rankings-wise, knocking off then No. 3/2 Ohio State on Dec. 15 at Williams Arena, 84-71. It was the second win over a top-five team Pitino and first since defeating Coaches Poll No. 5 Maryland at home on Feb. 18, 2016.
• Minnesota has been tested early and often, playing one of the nation's toughest schedules in both conference and non-conference play. Through the games of Dec. 30, the Gophers' schedule ranks as the eighth toughest in NCAA Division I.
• The Gophers already rank highly among the nation's college basketball teams in several categories. As of Dec. 31, Minnesota is 24th in blocked shots per game (B1G: 2nd), 56th in 3-pointers made per game (B1G: 2nd), and 33rd in assists per game (B1G: 3rd). Daniel Oturu is fifth in rebounds per game (B1G: 1st), eighth in the country in blocks (B1G: 2nd), and ninth in field goal percentage (B1G: 2nd). Oturu's eight double-doubles ranks 12th in the country and second in the Big Ten. Marcus Carr is eighth in the country in assists per game (B1G: 2nd). Oturu is also the Big Ten's second leading scorer, trailing Iowa's Luka Garza (21.6 ppg).
SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS
• Purdue is 8-5 on the year, including a 6-1 mark at Mackey Arena where they most recently upended Central Michigan, 97-62, on Saturday. The Boilermakers, like all but two of the Big Ten teams, split their home and away December Big Ten games, defeating Northwestern in West Lafayette before falling at Nebraska.
• Jahaad Proctor leads a trio of double-figure scorers with 12.2 points per game, joined by Eric Hunter, Jr. (10.8) and Matt Haarms (10.8).
• The Boilermakers sport the Big Ten's best scoring defense, holding opponents to 57.4 points per game which is ninth in the country. Purdue has limited every opponent this season to 70 points or less entering Thursday's matchup.
OTURU'S TOPS IN THE BIG TEN LAST WEEK AFTER HISTORIC GAME
• Oturu was dominant in posting the first 20-20 game by a Gopher in more than 53 years, registering 21 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in the win over FIU on Saturday. The last Gopher to do so was Tom Kondla at Kansas State on Dec. 1, 1966, while Oturu also became the first Big Ten player in more than 11 years to reach the mark.
• He added one assist, one block and one steal in his 32-minute outing, which saw him go 8-of-12 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.
• The Woodbury, Minn., native's rebounding night matcheD the 10th highest total in program history, and the most since Jordan Murphy had 21 last season against Penn State. In the process, Oturu earned his seventh double-double of the season, accomplishing that feat in the first half for the third time this year.
UP NEXT
• The Gophers are back at home on Sunday evening, hosting Northwestern at 6:30 p.m.
• BTN and KTLK 1130 AM/103.5 FM will carry the game live from Williams Arena.
TV: BTN – Dave Revsine (Play-by-Play); Stephen Bardo (Analyst);
Olivia Dekker (Sideline)
Radio: Learfield/KFAN 100.3 FM – Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play);
Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 381
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 176th Meeting (80-95)*
Series (Away): 88th Meeting (25-62)*
Current Streak: W-2
Richard Pitino vs. Purdue: 5-6
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 762-836*
Richard Pitino vs. Big Ten: 45-74
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Minnesota men's basketball team, winners of its last three games, rings in the new year on Thursday at Purdue, in the only matchup between the two teams this season. Last season they met three times, with the Gophers taking the final two in Minneapolis and Chicago (Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals).
• For the second week in a row, the Gophers have earned the Big Ten Player of the Week award, given on Monday on sophomore center Daniel Oturu. Last week, sophomore guard Gabe Kalscheur earned a share of the award, with each posting career performances in victories. Minnesota has now won player of the week in back-to-back weeks in each of the last three seasons.
• The Gophers posted the biggest win of the Richard Pitino era, rankings-wise, knocking off then No. 3/2 Ohio State on Dec. 15 at Williams Arena, 84-71. It was the second win over a top-five team Pitino and first since defeating Coaches Poll No. 5 Maryland at home on Feb. 18, 2016.
• Minnesota has been tested early and often, playing one of the nation's toughest schedules in both conference and non-conference play. Through the games of Dec. 30, the Gophers' schedule ranks as the eighth toughest in NCAA Division I.
• The Gophers already rank highly among the nation's college basketball teams in several categories. As of Dec. 31, Minnesota is 24th in blocked shots per game (B1G: 2nd), 56th in 3-pointers made per game (B1G: 2nd), and 33rd in assists per game (B1G: 3rd). Daniel Oturu is fifth in rebounds per game (B1G: 1st), eighth in the country in blocks (B1G: 2nd), and ninth in field goal percentage (B1G: 2nd). Oturu's eight double-doubles ranks 12th in the country and second in the Big Ten. Marcus Carr is eighth in the country in assists per game (B1G: 2nd). Oturu is also the Big Ten's second leading scorer, trailing Iowa's Luka Garza (21.6 ppg).
SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS
• Purdue is 8-5 on the year, including a 6-1 mark at Mackey Arena where they most recently upended Central Michigan, 97-62, on Saturday. The Boilermakers, like all but two of the Big Ten teams, split their home and away December Big Ten games, defeating Northwestern in West Lafayette before falling at Nebraska.
• Jahaad Proctor leads a trio of double-figure scorers with 12.2 points per game, joined by Eric Hunter, Jr. (10.8) and Matt Haarms (10.8).
• The Boilermakers sport the Big Ten's best scoring defense, holding opponents to 57.4 points per game which is ninth in the country. Purdue has limited every opponent this season to 70 points or less entering Thursday's matchup.
OTURU'S TOPS IN THE BIG TEN LAST WEEK AFTER HISTORIC GAME
• Oturu was dominant in posting the first 20-20 game by a Gopher in more than 53 years, registering 21 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in the win over FIU on Saturday. The last Gopher to do so was Tom Kondla at Kansas State on Dec. 1, 1966, while Oturu also became the first Big Ten player in more than 11 years to reach the mark.
• He added one assist, one block and one steal in his 32-minute outing, which saw him go 8-of-12 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.
• The Woodbury, Minn., native's rebounding night matcheD the 10th highest total in program history, and the most since Jordan Murphy had 21 last season against Penn State. In the process, Oturu earned his seventh double-double of the season, accomplishing that feat in the first half for the third time this year.
UP NEXT
• The Gophers are back at home on Sunday evening, hosting Northwestern at 6:30 p.m.
• BTN and KTLK 1130 AM/103.5 FM will carry the game live from Williams Arena.
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Beat Fighting Camels
Tuesday, December 23
Highlights: Gophers 78, Campbell 50
Sunday, December 21
Cade Tyson's 38 Point Performance
Tuesday, December 16
Highlights: Gophers 89, TX Southern 53
Sunday, December 14