Gophers Set to Begin Two-Game Road Swing

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler- Play-by-Play; Stephanie White- Analyst)
Tip Time: 7:37 p.m. CT
Radio: Learfield IMG: KFAN 100.3 FM
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Sirius XM: 387

SERIES INFORMATION
146th Meeting (54-91 all time)
At Ohio State: 17-54
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 782-874*
* - excludes vacated games

STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team travels to Columbus, Ohio to take on the No. 18 Ohio State Buckeyes Tuesday night. It marks the first time Minnesota has been to Columbus since Jan. 23, 2020. The Gophers won that contest, 62-59. Former Gopher Marcus Carr hit a three-pointer with three seconds to solidify Minnesota's first Big Ten road win that season and first victory in Columbus in 15 years.
• Minnesota is in the midst of a grueling four-game schedule in a week and now have three games in five days. The Gophers played Penn State Saturday night (76-70 win) and play at Ohio State (Feb. 15), at Penn State (Feb. 17) and home against Northwestern (Feb. 19). It marks the first time since 2018 (Vancouver Showcase) where the Gophers have played three games in four days. Minnesota played three regular season games, non tournament play, back in 1989. It marks the first time in Big Ten play to happen. The Feb. 17 game is a make up game that was postponed earlier due to COVID-19 protocols on the Gopher team.
• Payton Willis has scored in double-figures 19 times this season, including his past 10 games. The senior averages 16.5 points per game this season, a single-season career best. It betters his 13.4 ppg he averaged at College of Charleston. In fact, Willis has also improved his three-point efficiency as well. He was 25-of-80 (.313) and 38-of-109 (.349) in his first two seasons at Vanderbilt. After sitting out the 2018-19 season following his initial transfer to Minnesota, Willis made 57-of-160 (.356) treys for the Gophers during 2019-20, then transferred to College of Charleston, where he made 40-of-100 (.400) three-pointers, and this year is leading the Big Ten at 57-of-131 (.435) through 22 games.
• Eric Curry established his first 20-point game of his career in the win over Penn State Saturday. The sixth-year senior bettered his two previous bests when he had 19 and 18 against Michigan State earlier this season. Curry has played in 97 career games for the Gophers and is having his best point-production season averaging 8.9 ppg. His previous best was 5.5 his freshman year in 2016-17.
• Jamison Battle is just 13 points away from his 1,000th career point, spanning over two and a half seasons of collegiate basketball. Battle scored 636 points at George Washington before transferring to Minnesota. He currently has 351 with the Gophers, totaling 987 collegiate points. Luke Loewe is sitting at 948 career points. The fifth-year senior held 769 career points with William & Mary and now has 179 as a Golden Gopher.

SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
• The No. 18 Ohio State Buckeyes enter the Minnesota game with a 15-6 overall record and 8-4 in Big Ten play. OSU is coming off a 68-57 win over Michigan and are playing at home for the first time since Feb. 6.
• OSU's E.J. Liddell leads the Buckeyes in points per game (20.1), assists (62), rebounds (7.5) and blocks (53). Against the Wolverines last week, Liddell had 28 points and his 20.1 ppg ranks 17th nationally. Malaki Branham is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.7 ppg, while Zed Key is at 9.1 ppg.
• As a team, Ohio State is averaging 74.7 ppg, shooting 47.8 percent from the field and averages 35.1 rebounds per game. They are allowing just 67.3 ppg.

LAST TIME OUT VS. OSU
• E.J. Liddell had 23 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to help the Buckeyes to a 75-64 win over the Gophers on Jan. 27 at Williams Arena.
• Minnesota was led in scoring by Jamison Battle, who had 15 points, followed by Payton Willis and Sean Sutherlin with 12 and Luke Loewe with 11. The Gophers were without senior Eric Curry, who was briefly sidelined with an ankle injury.

LAST GAME RECAP
• Minnesota snapped a five-game losing skid Saturday night with a 76-70 win over Penn State. The Gophers are 7-5 at home this season.
• Minnesota had four individuals capture double-digit points in Eric Curry (22), Payton Willis (18), Eylijah Stephens (13) and Luke Loewe (11). The last time Minnesota had four in double-digit scoring during a game came against Ohio State (1/27) when Jamison Battle, Willis, Loewe and Sean Sutherlin achieved the feat.

20-PLUS GAMES
• Minnesota's Jamison Battle has had eight games in which he's scored over 20 points in a game, a team high.
• Payton Wills has four games with over 20 points, including a 32-point performance against Rutgers (1/22) earlier this year. That marks a program high this season.
• Eric Curry and Eylijah Stephens have both recorded one 20-point contest this year. Curry established it against Penn State (2/12), while Stephens had 22 points against Iowa (1/16).

UP NEXT
• Minnesota is stays on the road for its second game against Penn State in a week when it travels to University Park, Pa. Game time is 3 p.m. CT, will be televised on Big Ten Network. Mike Grimm and Spencer Tollackson will provide the radio call on KTLK 1130 AM and 103.5 FM.

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Players Mentioned

Jamison Battle

Marcus Carr

Eric Curry

Luke Loewe

Eylijah Stephens

Sean Sutherlin

Payton Willis