GAME INFORMATION
Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Arena: Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Television: BTN
Eric Collins (Play-by-Play)
Keno Davis (Analyst)
Radio: Learfield/1500 ESPN Twin Cities
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play)
Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 178th meeting (95-82)
Series (Away): 86th meeting (38-47)
Current Streak: L-1
Last Meeting: Jan. 4, 2012 (L, 62-64)
Tubby Smith vs. Iowa: 10th meeting (7-2)
Minnesota vs. Current Big Ten: 706-742
Tubby Smith vs. Current Big Ten: 57-57
Game Day Tid-Bits:
• Minnesota and Iowa will face off for the second time this season. The teams played in Minneapolis on Jan. 4, a 64-62 Iowa victory. The Hawkeyes’ win snapped a six-game Gopher win streak against their neighbors to the south.
• Minnesota is 38-47 all-time in Iowa City but has won the last three matchups at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
• Junior Rodney Williams has played in five career games against the Hawkeyes and holds averages of 8.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He scored 11 points and grabbed a then career-high 12 rebounds during the first matchup this season. He collected 14 boards against Purdue to better his career-high. Ralph Sampson III has also played in five career games against Iowa and carries averages of 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds.
• Since being inserted into the Gopher starting lineup, Joe Coleman is averaging a team high 13.5 points to go along with 5.2 rebounds. He has gone to the free throw line 51 times in those six games for an average of 8.5 per game, by far the most on the team.
• Minnesota has led the Big Ten Conference in blocked shots during the last three seasons, including three of the top four season block totals in the history of the Gopher program: a program leading 201 in 2008-09, 199 in 2009-10 and 169 last season. Senior Ralph Sampson III led the team in blocked shots last season and is currently tied for third all-time in program history with 191 career swats. Minnesota has blocked 120 shots this season for an average of 5.5 per game, tops in Big Ten, led by Rodney Williams with 33. Williams is fifth in the conference with an average of 1.5 bpg. Sampson III is seventh at 1.3 bpg with 25 swats on the season.
Home Sweet Home:
• The Gophers have a record of 65-19 (.774) at Williams arena under head coach Tubby Smith in his four-plus seasons at Minnesota.
• The Gophers went a perfect 10-0 during the non-conference schedule at Williams Arena. Under Smith, Minnesota is 41-1 in regular season non-conference games at “The Barn”.
• Minnesota is allowing just 60.7 points per game at Williams arena under Smith (84 games). Under Smith, opponents have only reached 70 points 19 times in the 84 games at The Barn (22% of the time).
• So far this season the Gophers are giving up the least amount of points in the Smith era at 57.6 points per game, nine fewer points allowed per game than a season ago.
• The previous best came during the 2008-09 campaign when Minnesota’s opponents averaged 58.4 ppg.
Season Points (Games) Average
2011-12 806 (14) 57.6
2010-11 1132 (17) 66.6
2009-10 997 (17) 58.6
2008-09 1110 (19) 58.4
2007-08 1057 (17) 62.1
A Great Couple of Weeks:
• The Gophers opened the month of January by dropping three straight games - at Michigan and Iowa & Purdue at Williams Arena.
• Minnesota rebounded by winning four of its next five games in conference play - at Indiana, at Penn State and home wins over Northwestern & Illinois.
• Minnesota’s wins over Indiana (24), Northwestern (45) & Illinois (37) means it has recorded three top-50 RPI wins since Jan. 12.
• The Gophers’ RPI currently sits at 38.
• Minnesota has six top-100 victories on the season and has played a schedule that is in the top-50 as far as strength.
Gophers & Illini Matchup Goes O.T. Again:
• Minnesota defeated Illinois, 77-72, in overtime on Saturday at Williams Arena.
• The teams opened the 2011-12 Big Ten Conference schedule with a double-overtime thriller in Champaign on Dec. 27.
• The last time the Gophers played two overtime games against the same opponent in a season was 1977.
• Minnesota lost, 66-64, at Purdue on Jan. 15, 1977, and beat the Boilermakers at home on Feb. 24 by a score of 84-78.
• Incidentally, the Gophers had also played two overtime games against Purdue in 1976.
• Austin Hollins scored six points in the last minute, including a three-point play with four second remaining in regulation, to tie the game at 64. He tied for the team-high with 14 points.
• The Gophers’ bench was the difference. The subs provided 20 of the team's 30 first-half points and outscored Illinois's bench, 39-9, for the game.
• The bench combined to make 13-of-25 (.520) field goals, including 5-of-12 treys.
• Chip Armelin tied a career-high with 14 points off the bench. He also contributed a career-high seven rebounds.
• Freshman Andre Hollins also finished in double-figures with 12 points off the bench.
• For the game, Minnesota was 25-of-54 (.463) overall, including 6-of-18 (.333) from behind the arc.
• Minnesota struggled at the free throw line, making just 21-of-33 (.636). However, the Gophers combined to go 15-of-18 (.833) in the final four minutes of regulation and overtime.
The First Time Around:
• The initial Gopher/Illini matchup was the first double-overtime game for Minnesota since losing to Alabama Birmingham 88-81 on Dec. 5, 2006.
• It was the first extra-session game for Minnesota since defeating Michigan State 72-67 in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament.
• The Gophers lost the game but fought back from 13 points down in the final 13:00 of regulation.
• The Gophers shot .625 (15-24) in the second half but managed just .231 (3-13) in the extra sessions.
• Senior Ralph Sampson III tied a career-high with 22 points in the contest while junior Julian Welch played 45 of a possible 50 minutes.
http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/013012aaa.html
Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Arena: Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Television: BTN
Eric Collins (Play-by-Play)
Keno Davis (Analyst)
Radio: Learfield/1500 ESPN Twin Cities
Mike Grimm (Play-by-Play)
Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 178th meeting (95-82)
Series (Away): 86th meeting (38-47)
Current Streak: L-1
Last Meeting: Jan. 4, 2012 (L, 62-64)
Tubby Smith vs. Iowa: 10th meeting (7-2)
Minnesota vs. Current Big Ten: 706-742
Tubby Smith vs. Current Big Ten: 57-57
Game Day Tid-Bits:
• Minnesota and Iowa will face off for the second time this season. The teams played in Minneapolis on Jan. 4, a 64-62 Iowa victory. The Hawkeyes’ win snapped a six-game Gopher win streak against their neighbors to the south.
• Minnesota is 38-47 all-time in Iowa City but has won the last three matchups at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
• Junior Rodney Williams has played in five career games against the Hawkeyes and holds averages of 8.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He scored 11 points and grabbed a then career-high 12 rebounds during the first matchup this season. He collected 14 boards against Purdue to better his career-high. Ralph Sampson III has also played in five career games against Iowa and carries averages of 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds.
• Since being inserted into the Gopher starting lineup, Joe Coleman is averaging a team high 13.5 points to go along with 5.2 rebounds. He has gone to the free throw line 51 times in those six games for an average of 8.5 per game, by far the most on the team.
• Minnesota has led the Big Ten Conference in blocked shots during the last three seasons, including three of the top four season block totals in the history of the Gopher program: a program leading 201 in 2008-09, 199 in 2009-10 and 169 last season. Senior Ralph Sampson III led the team in blocked shots last season and is currently tied for third all-time in program history with 191 career swats. Minnesota has blocked 120 shots this season for an average of 5.5 per game, tops in Big Ten, led by Rodney Williams with 33. Williams is fifth in the conference with an average of 1.5 bpg. Sampson III is seventh at 1.3 bpg with 25 swats on the season.
Home Sweet Home:
• The Gophers have a record of 65-19 (.774) at Williams arena under head coach Tubby Smith in his four-plus seasons at Minnesota.
• The Gophers went a perfect 10-0 during the non-conference schedule at Williams Arena. Under Smith, Minnesota is 41-1 in regular season non-conference games at “The Barn”.
• Minnesota is allowing just 60.7 points per game at Williams arena under Smith (84 games). Under Smith, opponents have only reached 70 points 19 times in the 84 games at The Barn (22% of the time).
• So far this season the Gophers are giving up the least amount of points in the Smith era at 57.6 points per game, nine fewer points allowed per game than a season ago.
• The previous best came during the 2008-09 campaign when Minnesota’s opponents averaged 58.4 ppg.
Season Points (Games) Average
2011-12 806 (14) 57.6
2010-11 1132 (17) 66.6
2009-10 997 (17) 58.6
2008-09 1110 (19) 58.4
2007-08 1057 (17) 62.1
A Great Couple of Weeks:
• The Gophers opened the month of January by dropping three straight games - at Michigan and Iowa & Purdue at Williams Arena.
• Minnesota rebounded by winning four of its next five games in conference play - at Indiana, at Penn State and home wins over Northwestern & Illinois.
• Minnesota’s wins over Indiana (24), Northwestern (45) & Illinois (37) means it has recorded three top-50 RPI wins since Jan. 12.
• The Gophers’ RPI currently sits at 38.
• Minnesota has six top-100 victories on the season and has played a schedule that is in the top-50 as far as strength.
Gophers & Illini Matchup Goes O.T. Again:
• Minnesota defeated Illinois, 77-72, in overtime on Saturday at Williams Arena.
• The teams opened the 2011-12 Big Ten Conference schedule with a double-overtime thriller in Champaign on Dec. 27.
• The last time the Gophers played two overtime games against the same opponent in a season was 1977.
• Minnesota lost, 66-64, at Purdue on Jan. 15, 1977, and beat the Boilermakers at home on Feb. 24 by a score of 84-78.
• Incidentally, the Gophers had also played two overtime games against Purdue in 1976.
• Austin Hollins scored six points in the last minute, including a three-point play with four second remaining in regulation, to tie the game at 64. He tied for the team-high with 14 points.
• The Gophers’ bench was the difference. The subs provided 20 of the team's 30 first-half points and outscored Illinois's bench, 39-9, for the game.
• The bench combined to make 13-of-25 (.520) field goals, including 5-of-12 treys.
• Chip Armelin tied a career-high with 14 points off the bench. He also contributed a career-high seven rebounds.
• Freshman Andre Hollins also finished in double-figures with 12 points off the bench.
• For the game, Minnesota was 25-of-54 (.463) overall, including 6-of-18 (.333) from behind the arc.
• Minnesota struggled at the free throw line, making just 21-of-33 (.636). However, the Gophers combined to go 15-of-18 (.833) in the final four minutes of regulation and overtime.
The First Time Around:
• The initial Gopher/Illini matchup was the first double-overtime game for Minnesota since losing to Alabama Birmingham 88-81 on Dec. 5, 2006.
• It was the first extra-session game for Minnesota since defeating Michigan State 72-67 in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament.
• The Gophers lost the game but fought back from 13 points down in the final 13:00 of regulation.
• The Gophers shot .625 (15-24) in the second half but managed just .231 (3-13) in the extra sessions.
• Senior Ralph Sampson III tied a career-high with 22 points in the contest while junior Julian Welch played 45 of a possible 50 minutes.
http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/013012aaa.html