The Gophers need a big win Tuesday night against rival Iowa.
In what will undoubtedly be a rocking home crowd with the rival Iowa Hawkeyes at The Barn, Tuesday night’s game has turned into a “must win” for Minnesota to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Anytime Iowa comes to town the intensity in Williams Arena heats up, and this game will be no different. According to Minneapolis-based Ticket King, Gophers basketball tickets are going between $49-149 for lower level seats. Ticket King also reported increased ticket buying from Iowa fans looking to sit near the Hawkeye bench.
The Gophers enter the game 17-11 overall and 6-9 in the Big Ten, likely on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament bubble. A win over nationally ranked Iowa will be a big boost to the Gophers resume. Additional game notes courtesy of GopherSports.com:
· The Gophers lead the all-time series 96-85.
• Minnesota leads the league in steals per game (7.6), is fourth in free throw percentage (.742), three-pointers made per game (6.9) and assists (13.8).
• With his career night of 18 points and nine rebounds against Wisconsin, junior forward Maurice Walker became the sixth different Gopher to lead the team in scoring during a game this season. He had been averaging 4.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game this season prior to the Jan. 22 win over the Badgers. Walker is the team’s leading rebounder (5.0 rpg) over the last nine games, along with a team-high 17 points versus the Boilermakers on Feb. 5.
• DeAndre Mathieu made the game-winning layup on Feb. 8 against Indiana and over the last nine games, is the team’s leading scorer (12.4 ppg). Mathieu poured in a team-high 18 points (13 in second half) in the win at Northwestern.
• Two of the Gophers’ transfers, guards DeAndre Mathieu and Malik Smith, have played integral roles in the team’s success this season. Behind top scorer Andre Hollins, Mathieu and Smith are second and fourth on the team in scoring in B1G games, averaging 11.7 and 8.6 points per game, respectively. Mathieu leads the Gophers in assists (118) and 3-point shooting (44.8 percent).