University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, March 9
7:30 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Penn State
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Set to Begin 2022 Big Ten Tournament
3/8/2022 12:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN (Brandon Gaudin (Play-by-Play) and Robbie Hummel (Analyst)
Tip Time: 25 min after Game 1 (approx. 7:25 p.m.)
Radio: Learfield IMG: KFAN 100.3 FM
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
SERIES INFORMATION
44th Meeting (30-13 all time)
Home vs. Penn State: 15-3; At Penn State: 10-10
Neutral vs. Penn State: 4-0
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 793-883*
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team opens the Big Ten Tournament facing Penn State Wednesday night in Game 2 of the tourney. Minnesota the 14 seed, plays No. 11 see PSU, after a 12/13 battle between Northwestern and Nebraska. Minnesota and Penn State each won its home game during the regular season. PSU won the last meeting, 46-67, in University Park, Pa., Feb. 17.
• Minnesota is 30-13 all time against PSU, dating back to 1975. The Golden Gophers are 4-0 against Penn State in a neutral court setting, all of which have come during Big Ten tournament play. The last time Minnesota defeated PSU in the Big Ten Tournament was March 14, 2019. Minnesota earned a 77-72 overtime victory when Amir Coffey scored 10 of his 22 points in the final minute of the game, including a pair of free throws. Minnesota trailed 59-51 in regulation and went on an 8-0 run, which helped push the game into overtime.
• Minnesota is 20-22 all time in the Big Ten Tournament (record includes vacated seasons). The Gophers are 13-11 when the tourney has been played in Indianapolis, including 12-10 in Gainbridge Fieldhouse (formerly Bankers Life). Last year's tournament was played at Lucas Oil Stadium, where Minnesota went 1-1.
• Jamison Battle finished the Big Ten regular season strong averaging 29.5 points per game against Maryland and Northwestern. Battle scored 59 points last week, went 22-48 and averaged 5 rebounds per game. Against Maryland, Battle, set career-highs in points (39), FG made (14) and 3FG made (7). His performance tied Maryland's Diamond Stone for the XFINITY Center's individual scoring record, as well as Maryland's Nik Caner-Medley for the facility's FGM record. The 39 points also tied for sixth on the single-game all-time records list for the Gophers. He followed up his 39-point performance with 20 points at Northwestern, which also proved to be a game high.
• Payton Willis also averaged 18.5 points per game to close out the Big Ten season. He scored 21 points at Maryland, and followed up with a 16-point performance at Northwestern. The senior shot 51.9 percent from the field last week, including 5-for-11 from three (45.5 percent). On the season, Willis ranks first in the league in three-point percentage (43.1) and eighth in overall field goal percentage (48.3 percent). He also ranks eighth in assists (4.39 apg) and fifth in steals (1.46 spg).
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
• Penn State enters the Big Ten Tournament with a 12-16 overall mark and went 7-13 in Big Ten play this season. PSU's seven league wins came in six home wins against Indiana, Rutgers, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern with a Big Ten road win at Northwestern.
• Four Nittany Lions are averaging double-digit points, led by Jalen Pickett (12.8 ppg), Seth Lundy (12.4) and Sam Sessoms (11.6 ppg). John Harrar follows with 10.5 ppg and a team-best 10.3 rpg.
• As a team, Penn State is averaging 64.7 points per game, allowing 65.3 ppg, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and averaging 35.7 rebounds per game. In conference action, PSU averaged 63.3 ppg and allowing 66.2.
BATTLE, WILLIS AND CURRY RECEIVE B1G AWARDS
• Minnesota had two representatives on the All-Big Ten team as Jamison Battle and Payton Willis received All-Big Ten Honorable Mention awards, while Eric Curry was Minnesota's Sportsmanship Award honoree. It marks the first postseason Big Ten awards for all three individuals.
• Making the jump from the A10 to Big Ten, Battle has continued to impress averaging 17.4 points per game. That marks a season-best for the sophomore and leads the team. It also ranks eighth among league athletes. Battle was named a Third Team All-A10 athlete at George Washington.
• Willis is having his best point performance season of his collegiate career. He averages 16.1 ppg, which betters his 13.4 he averaged last year at College of Charleston and 8.9 his first time at Minnesota. He also leads the league in best three-point efficiency at 43.2 percent. Willis was also a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week after the Mississippi State and Rutgers wins.
• Despite missing a few games due to injuries, Curry is still having his best point production season of his Gopher career. The senior averages 7.6 ppg, bettering his 3.7 ppg he had in 2020-21 and 5.5 in his freshman year.
TV: BTN (Brandon Gaudin (Play-by-Play) and Robbie Hummel (Analyst)
Tip Time: 25 min after Game 1 (approx. 7:25 p.m.)
Radio: Learfield IMG: KFAN 100.3 FM
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
SERIES INFORMATION
44th Meeting (30-13 all time)
Home vs. Penn State: 15-3; At Penn State: 10-10
Neutral vs. Penn State: 4-0
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 793-883*
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team opens the Big Ten Tournament facing Penn State Wednesday night in Game 2 of the tourney. Minnesota the 14 seed, plays No. 11 see PSU, after a 12/13 battle between Northwestern and Nebraska. Minnesota and Penn State each won its home game during the regular season. PSU won the last meeting, 46-67, in University Park, Pa., Feb. 17.
• Minnesota is 30-13 all time against PSU, dating back to 1975. The Golden Gophers are 4-0 against Penn State in a neutral court setting, all of which have come during Big Ten tournament play. The last time Minnesota defeated PSU in the Big Ten Tournament was March 14, 2019. Minnesota earned a 77-72 overtime victory when Amir Coffey scored 10 of his 22 points in the final minute of the game, including a pair of free throws. Minnesota trailed 59-51 in regulation and went on an 8-0 run, which helped push the game into overtime.
• Minnesota is 20-22 all time in the Big Ten Tournament (record includes vacated seasons). The Gophers are 13-11 when the tourney has been played in Indianapolis, including 12-10 in Gainbridge Fieldhouse (formerly Bankers Life). Last year's tournament was played at Lucas Oil Stadium, where Minnesota went 1-1.
• Jamison Battle finished the Big Ten regular season strong averaging 29.5 points per game against Maryland and Northwestern. Battle scored 59 points last week, went 22-48 and averaged 5 rebounds per game. Against Maryland, Battle, set career-highs in points (39), FG made (14) and 3FG made (7). His performance tied Maryland's Diamond Stone for the XFINITY Center's individual scoring record, as well as Maryland's Nik Caner-Medley for the facility's FGM record. The 39 points also tied for sixth on the single-game all-time records list for the Gophers. He followed up his 39-point performance with 20 points at Northwestern, which also proved to be a game high.
• Payton Willis also averaged 18.5 points per game to close out the Big Ten season. He scored 21 points at Maryland, and followed up with a 16-point performance at Northwestern. The senior shot 51.9 percent from the field last week, including 5-for-11 from three (45.5 percent). On the season, Willis ranks first in the league in three-point percentage (43.1) and eighth in overall field goal percentage (48.3 percent). He also ranks eighth in assists (4.39 apg) and fifth in steals (1.46 spg).
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
• Penn State enters the Big Ten Tournament with a 12-16 overall mark and went 7-13 in Big Ten play this season. PSU's seven league wins came in six home wins against Indiana, Rutgers, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern with a Big Ten road win at Northwestern.
• Four Nittany Lions are averaging double-digit points, led by Jalen Pickett (12.8 ppg), Seth Lundy (12.4) and Sam Sessoms (11.6 ppg). John Harrar follows with 10.5 ppg and a team-best 10.3 rpg.
• As a team, Penn State is averaging 64.7 points per game, allowing 65.3 ppg, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and averaging 35.7 rebounds per game. In conference action, PSU averaged 63.3 ppg and allowing 66.2.
BATTLE, WILLIS AND CURRY RECEIVE B1G AWARDS
• Minnesota had two representatives on the All-Big Ten team as Jamison Battle and Payton Willis received All-Big Ten Honorable Mention awards, while Eric Curry was Minnesota's Sportsmanship Award honoree. It marks the first postseason Big Ten awards for all three individuals.
• Making the jump from the A10 to Big Ten, Battle has continued to impress averaging 17.4 points per game. That marks a season-best for the sophomore and leads the team. It also ranks eighth among league athletes. Battle was named a Third Team All-A10 athlete at George Washington.
• Willis is having his best point performance season of his collegiate career. He averages 16.1 ppg, which betters his 13.4 he averaged last year at College of Charleston and 8.9 his first time at Minnesota. He also leads the league in best three-point efficiency at 43.2 percent. Willis was also a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week after the Mississippi State and Rutgers wins.
• Despite missing a few games due to injuries, Curry is still having his best point production season of his Gopher career. The senior averages 7.6 ppg, bettering his 3.7 ppg he had in 2020-21 and 5.5 in his freshman year.
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