University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, February 6
Iowa City, IA
3:30 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Iowa
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Travel to Iowa Sunday
2/4/2022 2:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN (Dave Revsine - Play-by-Play; Robbie Hummel- Analyst)
Tip Time: 3:31 p.m. CT
Radio: Learfield IMG: KFAN 100.3 FM
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Sirius: 383
SERIES INFORMATION
195th Meeting (102-92 all time)
Away vs. Iowa: 39-54
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 781-872*
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team is back in action Sunday when it faces Iowa for the second time this season at 3:30 p.m. in Iowa City. Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery will miss Sunday's game due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Assistant Billy Taylor will serve as the team's active head coach in his absence. Minnesota last visited Carver Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 10, 2021 where the Gophers fell, 86-71. Minnesota's last win at Iowa dates back to Feb 12, 2015 when the Gophers won, 64-59.Â
• The Golden Gophers fell to the Hawkeyes in an 81-71 decision Jan. 16 this year at Williams Arena. The last time these two teams met, Minnesota was without four individuals in Eric Curry, Sean Sutherlin, Danny Ogele and Joey Kern, due to injury, illness or COVID-19 health and safety protocol. Eylijah Stephens, Jamison Battle and Payton Willis led the Gophers for a combined for 53 points, including Stephens who had a season-best 22 points.Â
• Payton Willis posted a game-best 24 points and tied his career-high 10 assists, earlier this week against Purdue. It marked the second game this season where the senior contributed a double-double (points & assists), the first coming against Green Bay (12/22). Willis was the first Gopher to record 20 points, 10 assists in a game since 2020 (Marcus Carr). Willis reached 300 points this season, reached 300 career assists and 100 career steals. He has reached double-figures 16 times this season, including the past seven games.Â
• Minnesota has faced some of the toughest competition this first half of the Big Ten season, not just in league play, but nationally. All eight of Minnesota's losses this season have come to top 30 teams in the NET rankings (Purdue - NET ranking 6, Illinois - 14, Ohio State - 18, Michigan State (twice)- 19, Wisconsin - 21, Iowa - 24 and Indiana - 30).Â
• Jamison Battle is ranked sixth in Big Ten overall scoring and seventh against Big Ten opponents (17.3). He averages 17.8 points per game, while Payton Willis ranks 10th in the league at 16.7. Willis also holds the league's best three-point shooter at 42.8 percent. Battle added 21 points against Purdue, which marked his 34th straight double-figure scoring game dating back to last season at George Washington. Battle's season high is 27 points (at Michigan), while his career high is 29 (vs. Duquesne). He has scored 20 points or more points in seven games this season.
SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES
• Iowa enters the Minnesota game with a 14-7 overall record and 4-6 mark in Big Ten action. The Hawkeyes were scheduled to play Ohio State earlier this week, but was postponed due to inclement weather. Iowa's last action was a double-overtime loss at Penn State Jan. 31 (86-90). Â
• One of the nation's best scorers is Iowa's leading scorer in Keegan Murray. He averages 22.3 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game and shooting 55.1 percent. Patrick McCaffery (11.1 ppg), Kris Murray (1.5 ppg) and Jordan Bohannon (10.0 ppg) round out the Hawkeyes' top scorers.Â
• As a team, Iowa is averaging 82.8 ppg, 36.9 rebounds per game and shooting 45.5 percent from the field, including a 33.7 percent from three. Â
LAST GAME RECAP
• Minnesota fell to No. 4 Purdue Wednesday night, 88-73. Down 18 points to the Boilermakers, Minnesota closed the gap to seven before Purdue went on to win its 19th game of the season.  Â
• Payton Willis had 24 points, 10 assists, three steals and a block. Jamison Battle added 21 points, while Luke Loewe also scored double-digits with 11.Â
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
• A veteran group, the Gophers turn over the ball very few times, 175, which ranks first in the league and second nationally. The Gophers have had seven games in which they committed five or fewer turnovers a game. Of the seven games, five have come against Big Ten opponents in Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State and Purdue.Â
UP NEXT
• Minnesota is back on the road Wednesday when it travels to Nebraska on Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on Big Ten Network, while Mike Grimm and Spencer Tollackson provide the radio call on  KFAN 100.3 FM.Â
Â
TV: BTN (Dave Revsine - Play-by-Play; Robbie Hummel- Analyst)
Tip Time: 3:31 p.m. CT
Radio: Learfield IMG: KFAN 100.3 FM
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Sirius: 383
SERIES INFORMATION
195th Meeting (102-92 all time)
Away vs. Iowa: 39-54
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 781-872*
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team is back in action Sunday when it faces Iowa for the second time this season at 3:30 p.m. in Iowa City. Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery will miss Sunday's game due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Assistant Billy Taylor will serve as the team's active head coach in his absence. Minnesota last visited Carver Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 10, 2021 where the Gophers fell, 86-71. Minnesota's last win at Iowa dates back to Feb 12, 2015 when the Gophers won, 64-59.Â
• The Golden Gophers fell to the Hawkeyes in an 81-71 decision Jan. 16 this year at Williams Arena. The last time these two teams met, Minnesota was without four individuals in Eric Curry, Sean Sutherlin, Danny Ogele and Joey Kern, due to injury, illness or COVID-19 health and safety protocol. Eylijah Stephens, Jamison Battle and Payton Willis led the Gophers for a combined for 53 points, including Stephens who had a season-best 22 points.Â
• Payton Willis posted a game-best 24 points and tied his career-high 10 assists, earlier this week against Purdue. It marked the second game this season where the senior contributed a double-double (points & assists), the first coming against Green Bay (12/22). Willis was the first Gopher to record 20 points, 10 assists in a game since 2020 (Marcus Carr). Willis reached 300 points this season, reached 300 career assists and 100 career steals. He has reached double-figures 16 times this season, including the past seven games.Â
• Minnesota has faced some of the toughest competition this first half of the Big Ten season, not just in league play, but nationally. All eight of Minnesota's losses this season have come to top 30 teams in the NET rankings (Purdue - NET ranking 6, Illinois - 14, Ohio State - 18, Michigan State (twice)- 19, Wisconsin - 21, Iowa - 24 and Indiana - 30).Â
• Jamison Battle is ranked sixth in Big Ten overall scoring and seventh against Big Ten opponents (17.3). He averages 17.8 points per game, while Payton Willis ranks 10th in the league at 16.7. Willis also holds the league's best three-point shooter at 42.8 percent. Battle added 21 points against Purdue, which marked his 34th straight double-figure scoring game dating back to last season at George Washington. Battle's season high is 27 points (at Michigan), while his career high is 29 (vs. Duquesne). He has scored 20 points or more points in seven games this season.
SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES
• Iowa enters the Minnesota game with a 14-7 overall record and 4-6 mark in Big Ten action. The Hawkeyes were scheduled to play Ohio State earlier this week, but was postponed due to inclement weather. Iowa's last action was a double-overtime loss at Penn State Jan. 31 (86-90). Â
• One of the nation's best scorers is Iowa's leading scorer in Keegan Murray. He averages 22.3 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game and shooting 55.1 percent. Patrick McCaffery (11.1 ppg), Kris Murray (1.5 ppg) and Jordan Bohannon (10.0 ppg) round out the Hawkeyes' top scorers.Â
• As a team, Iowa is averaging 82.8 ppg, 36.9 rebounds per game and shooting 45.5 percent from the field, including a 33.7 percent from three. Â
LAST GAME RECAP
• Minnesota fell to No. 4 Purdue Wednesday night, 88-73. Down 18 points to the Boilermakers, Minnesota closed the gap to seven before Purdue went on to win its 19th game of the season.  Â
• Payton Willis had 24 points, 10 assists, three steals and a block. Jamison Battle added 21 points, while Luke Loewe also scored double-digits with 11.Â
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
• A veteran group, the Gophers turn over the ball very few times, 175, which ranks first in the league and second nationally. The Gophers have had seven games in which they committed five or fewer turnovers a game. Of the seven games, five have come against Big Ten opponents in Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State and Purdue.Â
UP NEXT
• Minnesota is back on the road Wednesday when it travels to Nebraska on Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on Big Ten Network, while Mike Grimm and Spencer Tollackson provide the radio call on  KFAN 100.3 FM.Â
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Coming Home: Jim Shikenjanski
Tuesday, March 03
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Bruins
Monday, March 02
Postgame Reaction: Coach Medved
Saturday, February 28
Highlights: Gophers 78, UCLA 73
Saturday, February 28