The Gophers are 61-1 all-time vs. the Summit League and 26-1 all-time vs. North Dakota State, so those that bet on sports have to favor Minnesota head-to-head on Tuesday night. Here are the U’s notes and tid-bits about the game.
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 28th Meeting (26-1)
Series Home/Away: 25-1/1-0
Current Streak: W-15
Last Meeting: W, 63-59 (Dec. 22, 2011)
Tubby Smith vs. NDSU: 5th Meeting (4-0)
Minnesota vs. Summit League: 61-1
(Loss: vs. NDSU: 33-29 – Dec. 12, 1936)
Tubby Smith vs. Summit League: 12-0
Game Day?Tid-Bits:
• The Gophers and the North Dakota State Bison are playing for the second straight season and the 28th time overall. Minnesota won the game last season 63-59. Rodney Williams contributed 14 points and eight rebounds while Maverick Ahanmisi scored a career-high 13 points.
• Minnesota’s only loss in the series came during the 1936-37 season by a score of 33-29. That is the only loss by the Gophers against teams currently in the Summit League. Minnesota defeated South Dakota State on Dec. 4 at Williams Arena.
• Only one game in the history of the series has been played away from the Twin Cities. Minnesota defeated NDSU 31-18 in Fargo during the 1931-32 season.
• Gopher head coach Tubby Smith is a perfect 12-0 against teams currently in the Summit League, including a 4-0 record against the Bison.
• With the win over USC on Dec. 8, Tubby Smith become the 19th current active D1 coach to reach the 500-win plateau. Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger became the 18th coach to reach the mark, as he did so on Nov. 30 with a win over Northwestern State in Norman. Smith is the 24th fastest coach to reach the milestone, having done so in 714 career games.
• Smith currently has 113 wins on the bench at Minnesota, the seventh-most in the history of the program and six shy of passing Dan Monson for sixth on the list. He also holds the fourth-highest winning percentage in team history at .621 (113-69). L.J. Cooke sits atop the Gophers’ win list with 250 wins in 28 seasons.
Tubby Gains Career Win No. 500:
• With the victory over Southern California on Dec. 8, Gopher head coach Tubby Smith now has 500 career wins.
• He became just the 19th current active coach in NCAA D1 to reach the 500-win mark. Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger became the 18th coach to reach the mark with a win over Northwestern State on Nov. 30 in Norman. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is the all-time winningest coach with 936 career victories.
• Smith became just the eighth coach in Minnesota history to win 100 games with a victory over La Salle in the opening round of the 2012 NIT. He now sits with 113 wins on the Gopher sideline, six wins shy of passing Dan Monson on the Gophers’ win list.
• Smith holds the fourth-highest winning percentage in Minnesota history.
• Smith has led Minnesota to the post season in four of his five seasons.
Minnesota Coaches with 100 Wins
L.J. Cooke: 250-135 (28 seasons)
Clem Haskins*: 240-165 (13 seasons)
Dave McMillan: 196-156 (18 seasons)
Jim Dutcher: 190-113 (11 seasons)
O.B. Cowles: 147-93 (11 seasons)
Dan Monson: 118-106 (7 seasons)
Tubby Smith: 113-69 (6 seasons)
John Kundla: 110-105 (9 seasons)
*includes vacated games