University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Game 24: Northwestern at Minnesota
2/24/2021 6:07:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Gophers host Wildcats at 8 p.m. on Thursday on BTN and KFAN
SERIES INFORMATION
168th Meeting (99-68 all-time record)
At Home: 57-22 // Current Streak: W-4
Richard Pitino vs. Northwestern: 6-6
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 780-863*
Pitino vs. Big Ten regular season games: 54-92
Pitino vs. Big Ten (includes postseason games): 60-99
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
1. Minnesota plays its second-to-last home game of the season when it hosts Northwestern on Thursday night. The Gophers are 13-2 at home this season (17th time in school history with 13 home wins) and average 79.5 points, while allowing 70.0. In scoring 1,192 points at Williams Arena, Minnesota has made 393 field goals, 112 3-pointers and 294 free throws (opponents have attempted only 306 free throws at Williams Arena). Minnesota also has advantages in assists (246-212), blocks (79-37) and steals (90-79). Minnesota plays 17 home games this year and has games left against Northwestern (Thursday) and Rutgers (March 6). If Minnesota were to win both, it would finish the season 15-2 at home. It would be only the seventh time in program history the U would have 15 home wins. A 15-2 record would be an 88.2% winning percentage, which would tie for second best in school history (counting only seasons team won at least 15 home games) with 2012-13 when the Gophers also went 15-2 at home. Minnesota was 18-1 at home in 1979-80 (94.7% win percentage) and was 21-11 (18-1 home, 2-9 away, 1-1 neutral).
2. The Gophers are 99-68 all-time against Northwestern (57-22 at home). Minnesota has won four straight games (three last season) against the Wildcats (1 home, 1 neutral and 2 road) and the last time the teams played was March 11, 2020, in the Big Ten Tournament. Minnesota beat Northwestern 74-57 before the event was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Gophers also beat Northwestern 77-68 at home and 83-57 on the road. If Minnesota were to win on Thursday, it would be the team's 100th victory against the Wildcats. Minnesota has beaten one other opponent - Iowa - 100 times in program history. The Gophers are 102-91 all-time against the Hawkeyes.
3. Minnesota is 5-5 against ranked opponents this year. The Gophers, who played only eight ranked opponents last season, have beaten No. 4 Iowa, No. 7 Michigan, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 24 Purdue and No. 25 Ohio State this year. The five ranked wins also ties a school regular-season record, as Minnesota also beat five ranked opponents in 2012-13. That year, Minnesota beat No. 1 Indiana, No. 12 at Illinois, No. 18 Michigan State, No. 19 vs. Memphis and No. 20 Wisconsin (OT). The Gophers picked up a sixth ranked win in the NCAA tournament when it beat No. 24 UCLA. The previous high under Coach Pitino was four ranked wins in the regular season and came in 2018-19. That year, Minnesota played 11 raked opponents (Pitino-era high) and beat No. 11 Purdue, No. 19 Iowa, No. 22 at Wisconsin and No. 24 Nebraska. The Gophers earned a fifth ranked win in the Big Ten tournament by beating No. 13 Purdue.
4. Marcus Carr played in his 54th game as a Gopher against Illinois. Carr averages 17.0 points per game and 5.96 assists per game as a Gopher. At this point in his career, his 17.0 points per game would rank tenth in school history (minimum 40 games played) and would be the best career scoring average since Mychal Thompson averaged 20.8 points from 1975-78. His average of 5.96 assists per game would rank first in school history (minimum 40 games played) ahead of Ray Williams who averaged 5.7 from 1976-77.
5. Jamal Mashburn Jr. has started the last two games and has averaged 35 minutes, 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in those two games. His 35 points led the Gophers during the last two games. He shot .500 from three (3-of-6), shot .433 overall (13-of-30) and .750 from free throws (6-of-8).
You can read Minnesota's complete game notes here.
168th Meeting (99-68 all-time record)
At Home: 57-22 // Current Streak: W-4
Richard Pitino vs. Northwestern: 6-6
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 780-863*
Pitino vs. Big Ten regular season games: 54-92
Pitino vs. Big Ten (includes postseason games): 60-99
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
1. Minnesota plays its second-to-last home game of the season when it hosts Northwestern on Thursday night. The Gophers are 13-2 at home this season (17th time in school history with 13 home wins) and average 79.5 points, while allowing 70.0. In scoring 1,192 points at Williams Arena, Minnesota has made 393 field goals, 112 3-pointers and 294 free throws (opponents have attempted only 306 free throws at Williams Arena). Minnesota also has advantages in assists (246-212), blocks (79-37) and steals (90-79). Minnesota plays 17 home games this year and has games left against Northwestern (Thursday) and Rutgers (March 6). If Minnesota were to win both, it would finish the season 15-2 at home. It would be only the seventh time in program history the U would have 15 home wins. A 15-2 record would be an 88.2% winning percentage, which would tie for second best in school history (counting only seasons team won at least 15 home games) with 2012-13 when the Gophers also went 15-2 at home. Minnesota was 18-1 at home in 1979-80 (94.7% win percentage) and was 21-11 (18-1 home, 2-9 away, 1-1 neutral).
2. The Gophers are 99-68 all-time against Northwestern (57-22 at home). Minnesota has won four straight games (three last season) against the Wildcats (1 home, 1 neutral and 2 road) and the last time the teams played was March 11, 2020, in the Big Ten Tournament. Minnesota beat Northwestern 74-57 before the event was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Gophers also beat Northwestern 77-68 at home and 83-57 on the road. If Minnesota were to win on Thursday, it would be the team's 100th victory against the Wildcats. Minnesota has beaten one other opponent - Iowa - 100 times in program history. The Gophers are 102-91 all-time against the Hawkeyes.
3. Minnesota is 5-5 against ranked opponents this year. The Gophers, who played only eight ranked opponents last season, have beaten No. 4 Iowa, No. 7 Michigan, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 24 Purdue and No. 25 Ohio State this year. The five ranked wins also ties a school regular-season record, as Minnesota also beat five ranked opponents in 2012-13. That year, Minnesota beat No. 1 Indiana, No. 12 at Illinois, No. 18 Michigan State, No. 19 vs. Memphis and No. 20 Wisconsin (OT). The Gophers picked up a sixth ranked win in the NCAA tournament when it beat No. 24 UCLA. The previous high under Coach Pitino was four ranked wins in the regular season and came in 2018-19. That year, Minnesota played 11 raked opponents (Pitino-era high) and beat No. 11 Purdue, No. 19 Iowa, No. 22 at Wisconsin and No. 24 Nebraska. The Gophers earned a fifth ranked win in the Big Ten tournament by beating No. 13 Purdue.
4. Marcus Carr played in his 54th game as a Gopher against Illinois. Carr averages 17.0 points per game and 5.96 assists per game as a Gopher. At this point in his career, his 17.0 points per game would rank tenth in school history (minimum 40 games played) and would be the best career scoring average since Mychal Thompson averaged 20.8 points from 1975-78. His average of 5.96 assists per game would rank first in school history (minimum 40 games played) ahead of Ray Williams who averaged 5.7 from 1976-77.
5. Jamal Mashburn Jr. has started the last two games and has averaged 35 minutes, 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in those two games. His 35 points led the Gophers during the last two games. He shot .500 from three (3-of-6), shot .433 overall (13-of-30) and .750 from free throws (6-of-8).
You can read Minnesota's complete game notes here.
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