University of Minnesota Athletics
Tuesday, February 4
University Park, PA
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Penn State
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Brace Hemmelgarn
Gophers Travel East To Face Penn State Tuesday
2/3/2025 8:27:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN (Jason Horowitz (play-by-play) and Austin Johnson (analyst)
Tip Time: 6:01 p.m.Â
Radio: KTLK (1130 AM/103.5 FM) or iHeart App (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
SERIES INFORMATION*
48th Meeting (32-15 all time)
Last Meeting: March 2, 2024 (MN W, 75-70)
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball program hits the road Tuesday when it travels to Penn State at 6 p.m. CT. The Golden Gophers are set to face the Nittany Lions for the first time this season and the 48th meeting. Minnesota won both contests between the two teams last year, including the previous meeting in March of 2024. The Gophers face PSU twice this season; the second comes later in February.Â
• The Gophers won the last meeting between the two teams in a dramatic come-from-behind win on March 2, 2024. The Gophers trailed 41-18 with 5:04 remaining in the first half but pulled within 12 at the half and outscored PSU 45-28 in the second half for the comeback. Cam Christie scored a game-high 19 points, followed by Elijah Hawkins with 18. Parker Fox made his first Gopher career start and finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.
• The Gophers are looking to return to the win column after a 71-68 loss to Washington Saturday. Dawson Garcia scored 28 points, including 23 of the Gophers' final 27 points. The Gophers, who trailed by 10 points at halftime, rallied to take a one-point lead with 8:13 left and the score was tied with 2:44 remaining, but the Huskies held on for the win. Femi Odukale added 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks for the Gophers.
• Dawson Garcia's 28 points vs Washington extended his scoring streak. He has now had 20 or more points in seven straight games. It is the longest streak by a Minnesota player since Kris Humphries had an eight-game streak in 2003-04. Garcia and Humphries's streaks are the two longest streaks by any Golden Gopher this century. Garcia holds a league-best 15 20-point game performances on the season. Garcia has had 19 double-digit point games and two 30-point games. He's averaging 20.1 points this year, which ranks second in the Big Ten.Â
• Femi Odukale made his 100th-career start in Saturday's loss vs. Washington. Odukale has started in 20 games for the Gophers. The most starts in a single season dates back to 2022-23, when he started in 31 games.
SCOUTING PENN STATEÂ Â Â
• Penn State played on Jan. 30 and fell to Ohio State, 83-64 to drop to 13-9 overall and 3-8 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions accomplished league wins over Purdue, Northwestern and Rutgers. Overall, PSU is 10-3 at home this year.Â
• PSU has five averaging double digits, led by fifth-year senior Ace Baldwin Jr., who averages 14.1 points, 164 assists and 42 steals. Nick Kern averages 12.9 points, while Yanic Konan Niederhauser averages 12.7. Zach Hicks and Puff Johnson average 12.7 and 11.8, respectively. Baldwin Jr., Kern Hicks and Johnson are all returners for PSU. Johnson has not played since Jan. 15 due to injury.
• As a team, PSU averages 82.3 points and allow 72.6. The Nittany Lions are shooting 48.7 from the field, including 34.6 from beyond the arc. They average 34.6 rebounds and have 191 steals and 262 turnovers.Â
ON THE DOCKETÂ Â Â
• Minnesota returns home Feb. 8 when it hosts Illinois at 5 p.m. The game televised on Big Ten Network.Â
• Mike Grimm and Al Nolen will provide the radio call on KTLK 1130 AM/103.5 FM as well as on the iHeart Media app.Â
Â
TV: BTN (Jason Horowitz (play-by-play) and Austin Johnson (analyst)
Tip Time: 6:01 p.m.Â
Radio: KTLK (1130 AM/103.5 FM) or iHeart App (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
SERIES INFORMATION*
48th Meeting (32-15 all time)
Last Meeting: March 2, 2024 (MN W, 75-70)
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball program hits the road Tuesday when it travels to Penn State at 6 p.m. CT. The Golden Gophers are set to face the Nittany Lions for the first time this season and the 48th meeting. Minnesota won both contests between the two teams last year, including the previous meeting in March of 2024. The Gophers face PSU twice this season; the second comes later in February.Â
• The Gophers won the last meeting between the two teams in a dramatic come-from-behind win on March 2, 2024. The Gophers trailed 41-18 with 5:04 remaining in the first half but pulled within 12 at the half and outscored PSU 45-28 in the second half for the comeback. Cam Christie scored a game-high 19 points, followed by Elijah Hawkins with 18. Parker Fox made his first Gopher career start and finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.
• The Gophers are looking to return to the win column after a 71-68 loss to Washington Saturday. Dawson Garcia scored 28 points, including 23 of the Gophers' final 27 points. The Gophers, who trailed by 10 points at halftime, rallied to take a one-point lead with 8:13 left and the score was tied with 2:44 remaining, but the Huskies held on for the win. Femi Odukale added 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks for the Gophers.
• Dawson Garcia's 28 points vs Washington extended his scoring streak. He has now had 20 or more points in seven straight games. It is the longest streak by a Minnesota player since Kris Humphries had an eight-game streak in 2003-04. Garcia and Humphries's streaks are the two longest streaks by any Golden Gopher this century. Garcia holds a league-best 15 20-point game performances on the season. Garcia has had 19 double-digit point games and two 30-point games. He's averaging 20.1 points this year, which ranks second in the Big Ten.Â
• Femi Odukale made his 100th-career start in Saturday's loss vs. Washington. Odukale has started in 20 games for the Gophers. The most starts in a single season dates back to 2022-23, when he started in 31 games.
SCOUTING PENN STATEÂ Â Â
• Penn State played on Jan. 30 and fell to Ohio State, 83-64 to drop to 13-9 overall and 3-8 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions accomplished league wins over Purdue, Northwestern and Rutgers. Overall, PSU is 10-3 at home this year.Â
• PSU has five averaging double digits, led by fifth-year senior Ace Baldwin Jr., who averages 14.1 points, 164 assists and 42 steals. Nick Kern averages 12.9 points, while Yanic Konan Niederhauser averages 12.7. Zach Hicks and Puff Johnson average 12.7 and 11.8, respectively. Baldwin Jr., Kern Hicks and Johnson are all returners for PSU. Johnson has not played since Jan. 15 due to injury.
• As a team, PSU averages 82.3 points and allow 72.6. The Nittany Lions are shooting 48.7 from the field, including 34.6 from beyond the arc. They average 34.6 rebounds and have 191 steals and 262 turnovers.Â
ON THE DOCKETÂ Â Â
• Minnesota returns home Feb. 8 when it hosts Illinois at 5 p.m. The game televised on Big Ten Network.Â
• Mike Grimm and Al Nolen will provide the radio call on KTLK 1130 AM/103.5 FM as well as on the iHeart Media app.Â
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