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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Close Out Nonconference Season Friday
12/28/2023 8:44:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Broadcast: Peacock
Tip Time: 6:01 p.m.
Radio: KFAN 100.3 FM (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
Sirius: SiriusXM 85
SERIES INFORMATION*
Second All-Time Meeting (MN leads, 1-0)
Last Meeting: Dec. 11, 1999 (W, 91-77)
Minnesota vs. America East Conference: 4-0
Last AEC Team vs. Gophers: Dec. 6, 2016 vs NJIT
(MN W, 74-68)
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team is back in action for the first time since Dec. 21 when it closes out the nonconference season Friday against the Maine Black Bears. Game time is slated for 6 p.m. and will be shown on Peacock. It's just the second time in school history the Gophers and Black Bears face each other and the first time since December of 1999. Minnesota won that contest, 91-77, also at Williams Arena. It's the first coaching appearance for Ben Johnson against America East as the Gophers are 4-0 all time against current America East teams. Minnesota's last appearance against an America East team dates back to 2016.
• Minnesota and Maine both have alums coaching their respective programs. Ben Johnson (Minnesota 2005 graduate) is in his third year as the head coach, while Chris Markwood (2005 Maine graduate) is in his second year. Both captains of their respective collegiate teams, now lead their alma maters. Johnson played for the Gophers from 2002-04 after transferring from Northwestern, while Markwood also played two seasons at Notre Dame before transferring to Maine his final two years.
• Minnesota will look for its second nine-win nonconference season under head coach Ben Johnson. The Golden Gophers were 9-1 in 2021-22 and 7-5 in 2022-23. The Gophers' most nonconference wins in recent history came in 2018-19 when the Gophers were 13-3 en route to a 22-14 season.
• Elijah Hawkins ranks second nationally in assists (91) and assists per game (7.6). Additionally, he has allowed just four turnovers in the last three games. As a team, the Gophers had their lowest amount of turnovers this season in the Ball State game when they committed just six turnovers.
• Freshman Cam Christie has been making his mark during his four starts. Averaging 31.3 minutes, Christie has been averaging 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds since being added to the starting lineup. He led Minnesota with 19 points against IUPUI on Dec. 12 and for the season, averages a second-best 11.5 ppg behind leading scorer Dawson Garcia.
WHERE THEY RANK
• Minnesota continues to show its depth winning the bench-point advantage in 11 of 12 games this year. The Gophers recently held a 12-7 advantage against Ball State with two starters out of the game. Minnesota's highest bench-point production came in a 62-20 advantage during Minnesota's nonconference game against New Orleans. The only game where the opponent scored more bench points was against Missouri in a 26-20 Tiger advantage. Minnesota ranks first in the Big Ten in this category and 30th in the nation.
• The Gophers also sixth nationally in assists per game, averaging 19.9 a game. Minnesota ranks high nationally and in the Big Ten in a couple categories in addition to bench points and assists. Minnesota also ranks 22nd nationally in field goal percentage (49.5).
LAST GAME RECAP
• Mike Mitchell Jr. led five Minnesota players in double-figures with a season-high 20 points, and Elijah Hawkins added 12 points and team-highs of nine assists and seven rebounds, as the Gophers (9-3) won their fourth-straight game, 80-63, versus Ball State (8-4) at Williams Arena Dec. 21.
• Mitchell Jr. was 8-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, and added five assists, four rebounds, and three steals in his second start for the Gophers.
• Pharrel Payne had 13 points, Joshua Ola-Joseph had 12 points, and Cam Christie finished with 11 points and tied Hawkins for the team lead with a career-high seven rebounds.
ABOUT MAINE
• Maine is 8-6 this season and also closes out the nonconference portion of the schedule with its game against Minnesota Friday. The Black Bears are looking to snap a two-game losing streak as they dropped contests at UCF (L, 74-51) and at FLU (L, 82-74).
• Maine has three players averaging double-digit points in Kellen Tynes at a team-best 13.5, followed by Peter Filipovity at 13.4 and A.J. Lopez at 11.4 ppg. Filipovity also averages a team-best 6.9 rebounds. Tynes and Ja'Shonte Wright-McLeish also hold a team-best 25 steals apiece.
• As a team, the Black Bears average 69.3 ppg, while allowing just 65.3. They are shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc. On the defensive end, Maine averages 32 rebounds. Maine ranks 57th nationally in scoring defense and 41st in steals per game, averaging 9.1.
ON THE DOCKET
• Minnesota returns to Big Ten Conference action on Jan. 4 when the Golden Gophers travel to Michigan. Game time is at 8 p.m. CT, and will be shown on Peacock.
• Mike Grimm and Al Nolen will provide the radio broadcast on Gopher Radio Network on 1130 AM/103.5 FM.
Broadcast: Peacock
Tip Time: 6:01 p.m.
Radio: KFAN 100.3 FM (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
Sirius: SiriusXM 85
SERIES INFORMATION*
Second All-Time Meeting (MN leads, 1-0)
Last Meeting: Dec. 11, 1999 (W, 91-77)
Minnesota vs. America East Conference: 4-0
Last AEC Team vs. Gophers: Dec. 6, 2016 vs NJIT
(MN W, 74-68)
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team is back in action for the first time since Dec. 21 when it closes out the nonconference season Friday against the Maine Black Bears. Game time is slated for 6 p.m. and will be shown on Peacock. It's just the second time in school history the Gophers and Black Bears face each other and the first time since December of 1999. Minnesota won that contest, 91-77, also at Williams Arena. It's the first coaching appearance for Ben Johnson against America East as the Gophers are 4-0 all time against current America East teams. Minnesota's last appearance against an America East team dates back to 2016.
• Minnesota and Maine both have alums coaching their respective programs. Ben Johnson (Minnesota 2005 graduate) is in his third year as the head coach, while Chris Markwood (2005 Maine graduate) is in his second year. Both captains of their respective collegiate teams, now lead their alma maters. Johnson played for the Gophers from 2002-04 after transferring from Northwestern, while Markwood also played two seasons at Notre Dame before transferring to Maine his final two years.
• Minnesota will look for its second nine-win nonconference season under head coach Ben Johnson. The Golden Gophers were 9-1 in 2021-22 and 7-5 in 2022-23. The Gophers' most nonconference wins in recent history came in 2018-19 when the Gophers were 13-3 en route to a 22-14 season.
• Elijah Hawkins ranks second nationally in assists (91) and assists per game (7.6). Additionally, he has allowed just four turnovers in the last three games. As a team, the Gophers had their lowest amount of turnovers this season in the Ball State game when they committed just six turnovers.
• Freshman Cam Christie has been making his mark during his four starts. Averaging 31.3 minutes, Christie has been averaging 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds since being added to the starting lineup. He led Minnesota with 19 points against IUPUI on Dec. 12 and for the season, averages a second-best 11.5 ppg behind leading scorer Dawson Garcia.
WHERE THEY RANK
• Minnesota continues to show its depth winning the bench-point advantage in 11 of 12 games this year. The Gophers recently held a 12-7 advantage against Ball State with two starters out of the game. Minnesota's highest bench-point production came in a 62-20 advantage during Minnesota's nonconference game against New Orleans. The only game where the opponent scored more bench points was against Missouri in a 26-20 Tiger advantage. Minnesota ranks first in the Big Ten in this category and 30th in the nation.
• The Gophers also sixth nationally in assists per game, averaging 19.9 a game. Minnesota ranks high nationally and in the Big Ten in a couple categories in addition to bench points and assists. Minnesota also ranks 22nd nationally in field goal percentage (49.5).
LAST GAME RECAP
• Mike Mitchell Jr. led five Minnesota players in double-figures with a season-high 20 points, and Elijah Hawkins added 12 points and team-highs of nine assists and seven rebounds, as the Gophers (9-3) won their fourth-straight game, 80-63, versus Ball State (8-4) at Williams Arena Dec. 21.
• Mitchell Jr. was 8-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, and added five assists, four rebounds, and three steals in his second start for the Gophers.
• Pharrel Payne had 13 points, Joshua Ola-Joseph had 12 points, and Cam Christie finished with 11 points and tied Hawkins for the team lead with a career-high seven rebounds.
ABOUT MAINE
• Maine is 8-6 this season and also closes out the nonconference portion of the schedule with its game against Minnesota Friday. The Black Bears are looking to snap a two-game losing streak as they dropped contests at UCF (L, 74-51) and at FLU (L, 82-74).
• Maine has three players averaging double-digit points in Kellen Tynes at a team-best 13.5, followed by Peter Filipovity at 13.4 and A.J. Lopez at 11.4 ppg. Filipovity also averages a team-best 6.9 rebounds. Tynes and Ja'Shonte Wright-McLeish also hold a team-best 25 steals apiece.
• As a team, the Black Bears average 69.3 ppg, while allowing just 65.3. They are shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc. On the defensive end, Maine averages 32 rebounds. Maine ranks 57th nationally in scoring defense and 41st in steals per game, averaging 9.1.
ON THE DOCKET
• Minnesota returns to Big Ten Conference action on Jan. 4 when the Golden Gophers travel to Michigan. Game time is at 8 p.m. CT, and will be shown on Peacock.
• Mike Grimm and Al Nolen will provide the radio broadcast on Gopher Radio Network on 1130 AM/103.5 FM.
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