The Gophers hosted UW-Green Bay at the Sports Pavilion as a charity fundraiser to benefit Puerto Rico. Minnesota used 26 points from Amir Coffey and an additional 24 by Isaiah Washington to run past the Phoenix for a 115-86 win.
Everyone received a little Sunday “Coffey” with their early-afternoon newspaper. Amir Coffey opened the game with a quick nine points and was extra aggressive within the offensive system. He drilled an open three-pointer via a ball reversal and was attacking off the dribble to slash the UW-Green Bay defense. Coffey had two steals and three strong dunks in transition. This is the type of aggressive playing style head coach Richard Pitino has been wanting to receive from the star sophomore. Coffey led all scorers with 26 points off 10-for-15 scoring. Not only can he contribute as a scorer, but his dribble penetration creates great looks for others on the floor. He had five assists, including an excellent pass to Reggie Lynch down low.
Throughout the day, the guards continued to distribute the ball well and created opportunities for others. Three ball reversals by Mason, Coffey and McBrayer led to a slashing attack by Coffey, who was fouled at the rim. The early stages of the game didn’t feature excellent ball movement, but it improved as the game progressed and helped create easy baskets for others within the offense.
In the first half, point guard Isaiah Washington slid between two defenders, drew contact and finished at the rim for a three-point play. He was in transition and looked for other options, but broke through the pressure for a finger roll. Washington played more minutes in the first half and performed well, finding a nice balance between creating offense and facilitating to his teammates. Washington got the crowd going with a behind the back dribble that led to a difficult floater. He had 24 points in 22 minutes of action, including two great finishes at the rim.
Guard Nate Mason added 15 points and continued to hit difficult mid-range jumpers, while taking physical drives to the hoop. He opened the second half by drawing contact and a foul off the dribble. The idea Minnesota has two capable point guards allows them to rotate minutes and use whomever is playing best on a given night.
In addition, Jamir Harris drilled a three-pointer and later picked up a steal on the other end, leading to a transition layup by Davonte Fitzgerald. Harris added another three-pointer and finished the day with 13 points. When Harris gets his feet set, he is almost automatic behind the arc. He is even more impressive on the defensive end and creates turnovers because of his physical playing style.
The Gophers went on an 11-0 run in the first half, which was sparked by quality defense from Harris and Isaiah Washington. Their ball pressure created deflections and turnovers. Minnesota was then able to get in transition and run the floor, which is something they flourish from. The most impressive aspect of the game for the Gophers was their ability to create steals. They forced 17 turnovers and didn’t allow UW-Green Bay to establish any rhythm.
At one point, three ball reversals by Mason, Coffey and McBrayer led to a slashing attack by Amir Coffey, who was fouled at the rim. The early stages of the game didn’t feature excellent ball movement, but it improved as the game progressed and created easy baskets for others within the offense. The team also wasn’t in offensive sets all that often because they were on the run in transition. The Gophers tallied 12 blocks and ten steals, which allowed them to dictate the tempo of the game.
Reggie Lynch blocked six shots and dominated on the defensive end. Lynch had three personal fouls in 15 minutes, which is something that must improve, but one of them came off a questionable loose ball foul. His defense, combined with Jordan Murphy’s improved effort has made the Gophers’ team defense more cohesive.
Minnesota proved how deadly they can be when they get on the run in transition. The Gophers finished with 27 total fast break points to just eight for UW-Green Bay.
The Gophers ran away with their second exhibition game and will return to Williams Arena for a matchup with USC Upstate on Friday night. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. CT.