Gophers Ready to Open Big Ten Play Against Michigan State

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler - Play-by-Play, Brian Butch - Analyst)
Tip Time: 8:07 p.m. CT
Radio: Learfield IMG: KFAN 100.3 FM
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Sirius: XM 372

SERIES INFORMATION
124th Meeting (58-65 all time)
Home vs. MSU: 34-24
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 780-867*
* - excludes vacated games

STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team opens Big Ten play this week when the Golden Gophers host Michigan State, Wednesday, Dec. 8 at Williams Arena. The Gophers then travel to Michigan Dec. 11 for a 5:30 p.m. game before returning to non-conference play Dec. 14. The game against Michigan State will be the first ranked opponent the Gophers see this year as MSU is ranked No. 19 in the recent AP poll.
• Minnesota is just one of 12 teams in the country still undefeated and only one of two left in the Big Ten (Purdue being the other). The last time Minnesota opened a season 7-0 was during the 2017-18 campaign when the Gophers defeated both UMass and Alabama during the Barclays Center Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y.
• The season's first NET and RPI rankings came out Monday and the Gophers sit at No. 36 in NET Rankings. Purdue holds the nation's best, followed by LSU and Arizona. Minnesota's win against Mississippi State was considered a Quad 1, it's first of the year. Since the NET rankings serve as the primary sorting tool for Division I men's basketball, they play an important role in establishing a team's resume.
• Minnesota tops the nation in three-point defense. The Gophers have allowed just 147 attempts and 34 opponent threes through seven games and just 23.1 percent. Minnesota currently ranks 31st nationally in defensive rebounds per game. The Golden Gophers have 204 defensive rebounds to average 29.14 per game. Through seven games this year, five Gophers have over 20 defensive rebounds: Jamison Battle (42), Eric Curry (37), Payton Willis (30), Sean Sutherlin (23) and Eylijah Stephens (28). In addition, Minnesota ranks 11th nationally in fewest fouls (and first in the Big Ten) with 92. The Gophers also rank first in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers and sixth nationally with 68.
• Jamison Battle is ranked sixth in Big Ten overall scoring. He averages 17.9 points per game, while Payton Willis ranks seventh in the league at 17.4. Willis and Battle rank third and fifth within the Big Ten in three-point percentage (.442 & .339) and tied for three-pointers per game at 2.7. With the Gophers playing a short bench, Minnesota also has three of its five starters in the top five of minutes played within the Big Ten. Battle leads the league averaging 38.3 minutes played.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
• Michigan State enters the Minnesota game ranked No. 19 and hold a 7-2 overall record. The Spartans are coming off back-to-back home wins against Louisville (73-64) and Toledo (81-68). Their two losses of the year was the opener against Kansas (74-87) and Baylor (75-58), both at neutral site locations. The Minnesota game also marks the second true road game for the Spartans since Nov. 17 at Butler (a 73-52 win).
• MSU went 15-13 during 2020-21 and advanced to the NCAA tournament where they fell in the First Four game against Final Four Team UCLA, 86-80.
• Hall of Fame Coach Tom Izzo is in his 27th year as the helm of Michigan State basketball. Coaching in the same spot since 1995, Izzo owns a 650-256 career coaching record.
• Gabe Brown leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 12.9 points per game, followed by Marcus Bingham Jr. at 10.6. Bingham Jr. also averages 7.6 rebounds per game and has 29 blocked shots this season. His 29 blocked shots ranks third in the Big Ten. As a team, MSU is shooting 44.6 percent and 36.7 percent from three. The Spartans also average 41.3 rebounds per game and

GOPHERS BEGIN BIG TEN PLAY
• Minnesota will look to win its first Big Ten-opening game since the 2017-18 season. Minnesota defeated Rutgers that season, 89-67 at Williams Arena. The Gophers entered that game 7-1 on the season.
• Minnesota opened the season last year at Illinois and dropped a 92-65 decision to the then-No. 13 Illini.
• This marks the fifth straight year the Big Ten has scheduled conference games early in December, which also began in the 2017-18 season.

LAST GAME RECAP
• Minnesota earned an 81-76 win over Mississippi State Sunday in Starkville, Miss. With the victory, the Golden Gophers are 7-0 on the season and just one of twelve undefeated teams in the nation.
• All five starters for the Maroon and Gold finished with double-figure scoring. Payton Willis paved the way with 24 points, followed by Jamison Battle with 20, Eylijah Stephens and Eric Curry with 12 and Luke Loewe with 11. Willis produced two three-pointers in the first half and 12 points, and Battle was the top scorer in the second half with a trio of three-pointers and 15 points. Battle also led the Gophers in rebounds (five), while Willis contributed seven assists.

WILLIS NAMED B1G'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Payton Willis was named one of Big Ten's Players of the Week. It is his first Big Ten honor of his career and first for the Golden Gophers this season. Willis added a team-best 19.5 points per game as he guided Minnesota to a pair of back-to-back road wins against two Power-5 teams. He also provided 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game in Minnesota's two road victories. Willis went 14-of-28 overall and 7-of-16 from three this week, shooting 50 and 43.8 percent, respectively.

TOYS FOR TOTS
Fans, be sure to bring an new wrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Donation locations will be available at Williams Arena entrances.

UP NEXT
• Minnesota is back in action Saturday, Dec. 11 when it travels to Michigan. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m., CT and televised on FS1. Mike Grimm and Spencer Tollackson can also provide the call on KFAN 100.3 FM.

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Players Mentioned

Jamison Battle

Eric Curry

Luke Loewe

Eylijah Stephens

Sean Sutherlin

Payton Willis