PREVIEW: GOPHERS AT ARKANSAS
Dec. 8, 2017
#14/15 Minnesota (8-2) at Arkansas (6-2)
Date / Time Saturday, Dec. 9 | 5:45 p.m.
Location Bud Walton Arena - Fayetteville, Ark.
Tickets Click Here
TV SEC Network
Live Video WatchESPN
Radio KFAN 100.3 FM
Live Stats Click Here
Live Update Click Here
Game Notes Minnesota | Arkansas
Official Sites Minnesota | Arkansas
Social Media Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2017
Time: 5:45 p.m. CT
Location: Fayetteville, Ark.
Arena: Bud Walton Arena (19,200)
TV/Live Video: SEC Network - Matt Schick (Play-by-Play); Pat Bradley (Analyst)
Radio: Learfield/KFAN 100.3 FM - Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 137/XM 190
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: Sixth Meeting (2-3)
Series (Away): Second Meeting (0-1)
Current Streak: W-1
Richard Pitino vs. Arkansas: Third Meeting (1-1)
Minnesota vs. SEC: 19-14*
Richard Pitino vs. SEC: 4-1
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Minnesota men's basketball returns to the non-conference schedule after a brief foray into Big Ten play, traveling to Arkansas on Saturday. The game is the second of a home-and-home series that began last year in Minneapolis, an 85-71 Gopher win. It is Minnesota's first road game at an SEC school since Dec. 7, 2001 (Georgia 77, Minnesota 55).
• Jordan Murphy is leading the team averaging 19.9 points (B1G: 2nd) and 12.8 rebounds (B1G: 1st/NCAA: 2nd)per game through the first 10 games. Murphy has posted 10 double-doubles (highest in the country) thus far this season, and the three-time Big Ten Player of the Week became the first Gopher to win the award in back-to-back weeks. Murphy is also just the second Gopher to win it three times in the same season. He is additionally leads the country in offensive rebounds (5.6) per game, as of Dec. 7.
• Reggie Lynch leads the country with 4.5 blocks per game, and this week, Lynch moved past Jeff Hagen (2002-05) and Michael Bauer (2000-04) to take sixth on the Gophers' all-time blocked shots list with 159. He needs just six more to tie Joel Przybilla for the most by any Gopher in two or fewer seasons of play in the Maroon and Gold (165).
• On Sunday, the Gophers snapped a four-game losing streak in B1G openers, winning its first since a 76-63 victory against Michigan State on Dec. 31, 2012. Last season, the Gophers dropped a 75-74 overtime decision versus the Spartans, and had previously lost conference-opening tilts at Ohio State, at Purdue during 2014-15, and at home versus Michigan. Since 1980-81, the Gophers are 12-20 in Big Ten openers (excluding vacated seasons).
• Head coach Richard Pitino won his 100th career game on Nov. 25 against Alabama. Pitino is one of five active Division I head coaches who have reached the 100 career victory mark in their sixth season or sooner.
SCOUTING THE RAZORBACKS
• Arkansas is 6-2 on the season including a perfect 4-0 mark at home. The Razorbacks' two losses came vs. North Carolina (87-68) in the PK80 Invitational in Portland, and at Houston (91-65) a week ago.
• Jaylen Barford leads the five Razorbacks averaging double figures with 19.6 points per game, a figure that ranks third in the SEC.
• Arkansas leads the SEC and ranks 23rd in the nation with a turnover margin of +4.9.
GOPHERS VS. THE SEC
• Minnesota has amassed a record of 19-14 against the current membership of the Southeastern Conference.
• That total includes the following individual opponent records: Alabama (1-2), Arkansas (2-3), Florida (1-1), Georgia (4-1), Kentucky (1-3), Ole Miss (2-0), Missouri (2-0), South Carolina (0-2), Tennessee (0-1), Texas A&M (1-1), Vanderbilt (5-0). Games that were later vacated are excluded from that list.
• The Gophers will face two SEC opponents this year in Alabama (Nov. 25) and Arkansas (Dec. 9). This is the second straight year of facing two SEC foes - prior to that, Minnesota hadn't played two SEC schools in the same year since 1997 (Alabama & Kentucky), results that were later vacated.
• Head coach Richard Pitino is facing a SEC opponent for the sixth time. He is no stranger to the conference, however, spending two seasons on Billy Donovan's staff at Florida.
Dec. 8, 2017
#14/15 Minnesota (8-2) at Arkansas (6-2)
Date / Time Saturday, Dec. 9 | 5:45 p.m.
Location Bud Walton Arena - Fayetteville, Ark.
Tickets Click Here
TV SEC Network
Live Video WatchESPN
Radio KFAN 100.3 FM
Live Stats Click Here
Live Update Click Here
Game Notes Minnesota | Arkansas
Official Sites Minnesota | Arkansas
Social Media Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2017
Time: 5:45 p.m. CT
Location: Fayetteville, Ark.
Arena: Bud Walton Arena (19,200)
TV/Live Video: SEC Network - Matt Schick (Play-by-Play); Pat Bradley (Analyst)
Radio: Learfield/KFAN 100.3 FM - Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 137/XM 190
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: Sixth Meeting (2-3)
Series (Away): Second Meeting (0-1)
Current Streak: W-1
Richard Pitino vs. Arkansas: Third Meeting (1-1)
Minnesota vs. SEC: 19-14*
Richard Pitino vs. SEC: 4-1
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Minnesota men's basketball returns to the non-conference schedule after a brief foray into Big Ten play, traveling to Arkansas on Saturday. The game is the second of a home-and-home series that began last year in Minneapolis, an 85-71 Gopher win. It is Minnesota's first road game at an SEC school since Dec. 7, 2001 (Georgia 77, Minnesota 55).
• Jordan Murphy is leading the team averaging 19.9 points (B1G: 2nd) and 12.8 rebounds (B1G: 1st/NCAA: 2nd)per game through the first 10 games. Murphy has posted 10 double-doubles (highest in the country) thus far this season, and the three-time Big Ten Player of the Week became the first Gopher to win the award in back-to-back weeks. Murphy is also just the second Gopher to win it three times in the same season. He is additionally leads the country in offensive rebounds (5.6) per game, as of Dec. 7.
• Reggie Lynch leads the country with 4.5 blocks per game, and this week, Lynch moved past Jeff Hagen (2002-05) and Michael Bauer (2000-04) to take sixth on the Gophers' all-time blocked shots list with 159. He needs just six more to tie Joel Przybilla for the most by any Gopher in two or fewer seasons of play in the Maroon and Gold (165).
• On Sunday, the Gophers snapped a four-game losing streak in B1G openers, winning its first since a 76-63 victory against Michigan State on Dec. 31, 2012. Last season, the Gophers dropped a 75-74 overtime decision versus the Spartans, and had previously lost conference-opening tilts at Ohio State, at Purdue during 2014-15, and at home versus Michigan. Since 1980-81, the Gophers are 12-20 in Big Ten openers (excluding vacated seasons).
• Head coach Richard Pitino won his 100th career game on Nov. 25 against Alabama. Pitino is one of five active Division I head coaches who have reached the 100 career victory mark in their sixth season or sooner.
SCOUTING THE RAZORBACKS
• Arkansas is 6-2 on the season including a perfect 4-0 mark at home. The Razorbacks' two losses came vs. North Carolina (87-68) in the PK80 Invitational in Portland, and at Houston (91-65) a week ago.
• Jaylen Barford leads the five Razorbacks averaging double figures with 19.6 points per game, a figure that ranks third in the SEC.
• Arkansas leads the SEC and ranks 23rd in the nation with a turnover margin of +4.9.
GOPHERS VS. THE SEC
• Minnesota has amassed a record of 19-14 against the current membership of the Southeastern Conference.
• That total includes the following individual opponent records: Alabama (1-2), Arkansas (2-3), Florida (1-1), Georgia (4-1), Kentucky (1-3), Ole Miss (2-0), Missouri (2-0), South Carolina (0-2), Tennessee (0-1), Texas A&M (1-1), Vanderbilt (5-0). Games that were later vacated are excluded from that list.
• The Gophers will face two SEC opponents this year in Alabama (Nov. 25) and Arkansas (Dec. 9). This is the second straight year of facing two SEC foes - prior to that, Minnesota hadn't played two SEC schools in the same year since 1997 (Alabama & Kentucky), results that were later vacated.
• Head coach Richard Pitino is facing a SEC opponent for the sixth time. He is no stranger to the conference, however, spending two seasons on Billy Donovan's staff at Florida.
