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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Record-Breaking Night for Hawkins and the Gophers
12/13/2023 3:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball
University of Minnesota junior guard Elijah Hawkins had a record-breaking performance Tuesday night at Williams Arena. Hawkins added a career-best 17 assists in the win over IUPUI and established a new school record. Hawkins established his program record on an assist to Erick Reader with 2:34 remaining in the game. Hawkins broke a nearly 30-year record as Arriel McDonald held the previous record when he had 16 assists vs. Wisconsin on Jan. 12, 1994.
"I only realized I was close to the record when I was at 16 (assists). When I was at 16, during a timeout, one of my teammates told me one more to beat the record. I was out there trying to fish for another assist. It took me about three or four minutes, but finally got it done."
Hawkins came out of the gate assisting on the first four scores of the game: an assist on a Mike Mitchell Jr. three-pointer to start the game, a Pharrel Payne dunk and back-to-back plays by Joshua Ola-Joseph as the Gophers went up, 10-4. In fact, by halftime, Hawkins already had his third-straight double-digit assist game when he had 11 assists in the first 20 minutes of play.
"I thought Elijah got us off to a really great start," head coach Ben Johnson said. "You don't want a guy searching for assists and I didn't think he did that. I thought he got us off to the right start. I thought his push was really good and made the simple reads and the simple plays. He set guys up well and he's really playing at a good pace right now. I thought his start, his mindset and being able to run the show early really helped us going in the right direction."
Hawkins is believed to be the first Golden Gopher to establish three-straight games with double-digit assists. Against Nebraska, Hawkins had a double-double 12 points, 11 assists. He followed with an 11-assist, eight point performance against Florida Gulf Coast, the first Gopher to establish back-to-back double-digit assist games since 2018. While only having two points himself, Hawkins helped the Gophers to their best shooting percentage game of their season when they shot 62.7 percent from the field. Minnesota also shot 50 percent from beyond the arc.
"Coach has been preaching to me just to make the simple plays," Hawkins said. "The home run plays are going to be there sometimes, but sometimes the simple play is the best play."
Minnesota's 57 first-half points is a season-high for either half. The previous high for the first half had been 54 points versus UTSA on Nov. 10. The 57 points were the sixth-most all-time in either half, and it was the most points scored in a half by the Gophers since tallying 58 points in the first half versus SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 2, 1992. For the game, Minnesota made 14 three-pointers for the second time this season (UTSA, Nov. 10), with that figure tying for fourth-most in a single game in school history. As a team, Minnesota had 31 assists, which ranked third all-time for a single game.
After the 17-assist game, Hawkins now ranks No. 1 nationally in assists with a stifling 82 in 11 games. He also ranks No. 4 nationally in assists per game, averaging 7.5. Additionally, Hawkins committed just one turnover in the IUPUI win and seven total in the past three games.
Minnesota is on hiatus due to academic finals and returns to action on Dec. 21 when Ball State (8-2) comes to down. Game time is at 7 p.m. Tickets are available HERE.
"I only realized I was close to the record when I was at 16 (assists). When I was at 16, during a timeout, one of my teammates told me one more to beat the record. I was out there trying to fish for another assist. It took me about three or four minutes, but finally got it done."
Hawkins came out of the gate assisting on the first four scores of the game: an assist on a Mike Mitchell Jr. three-pointer to start the game, a Pharrel Payne dunk and back-to-back plays by Joshua Ola-Joseph as the Gophers went up, 10-4. In fact, by halftime, Hawkins already had his third-straight double-digit assist game when he had 11 assists in the first 20 minutes of play.
"I thought Elijah got us off to a really great start," head coach Ben Johnson said. "You don't want a guy searching for assists and I didn't think he did that. I thought he got us off to the right start. I thought his push was really good and made the simple reads and the simple plays. He set guys up well and he's really playing at a good pace right now. I thought his start, his mindset and being able to run the show early really helped us going in the right direction."
Hawkins is believed to be the first Golden Gopher to establish three-straight games with double-digit assists. Against Nebraska, Hawkins had a double-double 12 points, 11 assists. He followed with an 11-assist, eight point performance against Florida Gulf Coast, the first Gopher to establish back-to-back double-digit assist games since 2018. While only having two points himself, Hawkins helped the Gophers to their best shooting percentage game of their season when they shot 62.7 percent from the field. Minnesota also shot 50 percent from beyond the arc.
"Coach has been preaching to me just to make the simple plays," Hawkins said. "The home run plays are going to be there sometimes, but sometimes the simple play is the best play."
.@eslimee_ was dropping dime after dime 👨🍳
— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) December 13, 2023
Here are all 17 assists from his record-setting night! pic.twitter.com/jIPMj18t3V
Minnesota's 57 first-half points is a season-high for either half. The previous high for the first half had been 54 points versus UTSA on Nov. 10. The 57 points were the sixth-most all-time in either half, and it was the most points scored in a half by the Gophers since tallying 58 points in the first half versus SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 2, 1992. For the game, Minnesota made 14 three-pointers for the second time this season (UTSA, Nov. 10), with that figure tying for fourth-most in a single game in school history. As a team, Minnesota had 31 assists, which ranked third all-time for a single game.
After the 17-assist game, Hawkins now ranks No. 1 nationally in assists with a stifling 82 in 11 games. He also ranks No. 4 nationally in assists per game, averaging 7.5. Additionally, Hawkins committed just one turnover in the IUPUI win and seven total in the past three games.
Minnesota is on hiatus due to academic finals and returns to action on Dec. 21 when Ball State (8-2) comes to down. Game time is at 7 p.m. Tickets are available HERE.
The most dimes in a single game in Gopher history! 〽️@eslimee_ pic.twitter.com/ecR6NIMoYb
— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) December 13, 2023
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