MINNESOTA AT #7 MICHIGAN STATE
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28TH
Tip Time: 7:02 p.m. CT

SERIES INFORMATION*
129th Meeting: Minnesota trails all-time series, 58-70
Last Meeting: Dec. 4, 2024 (MSU W, 90-72)
* excludes vacated games

STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men’s basketball program faces the Michigan State Spartans for the second time this year on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT. Minnesota is looking for its first win at Michigan State since 2015. The Spartans hold the all time series at 70-58.
• It marks the first time the Gophers will face the same opponent twice in the regular season, as the two teams kicked off the Big Ten season on Dec. 4 in Williams Arena. Michigan State, receiving votes at the time, opened the Big Ten season with a 90-72 win over the Gophers on Dec. 4. The Spartans had four players reach double figures in the win. Dawson Garcia recorded a double-double with 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Mike Mitchell Jr. returned to the Gopher lineup after missing seven games due to injury and recorded 17 points and six three-pointers in the loss.
• The Gophers are looking to string four straight after defeating No. 15 Oregon on Saturday. Minnesota has wins against two AP Top 25 teams (No. 20 Michigan and No. 15 Oregon) in 10 days for the first time since 2020. The Gophers also won in Iowa City for the first time since 2015. Oregon entered the Minnesota game 8-0 in road and neutral games this year. The Oregon win was the Gophers’ highest win over a ranked opponent in four years. Minnesota held a 35-22 rebound advantage and did not allow Oregon to score second-chance points.
• Dawson Garcia scored a season-high 31 points, and Parker Fox recorded his first double-double as a Gopher, scoring 13 points and 11 rebounds in the Oregon win. Lu’Cye Patterson had 11 points, Femi Odukale had 10, and Mike Mitchell Jr. added 10 assists.
• Minnesota’s three-game Big Ten win streak is the best since winning at Penn State versus Northwestern and Michigan State from Jan. 27 to Feb. 6 last season. In this three-game span, Minnesota has averaged 77.7 points and allowed 72.3. Iowa (0:25) and No. 15 Oregon (0:22) only led Minnesota for a combined 47 seconds in the past two games.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
• Like Minnesota, Michigan State’s last game came on Saturday in an 81-74 win over Rutgers in Madison Square Garden. MSU (17-2 overall, 8-0 B1G) is on a 12-game win streak, dating back to its loss to Memphis on Nov. 26. MSU is the last undefeated team in Big Ten action.
• The Spartans are led by Jaden Akins, who averages 13.8 points. Jase Richardson follows him at 9.8 off the bench. Jeremy Fears Jr. leads the team with 119 assists, averaging 6.26 per game. Coen Carr averages 8.8 points, while Frankie Fidler (8.7) and Tre Holloman (8.1) follow. Jaxon Kohler averages a team-best 7.6 rebounds.
• As a team, the MSU averages 81.7 points and allows just 68.1. The Spartans are shooting 47.5 from the field and 28.7 from the arc. They also average 40.9 rebounds a game, which ranks them 11th nationally and second in the Big Ten. MSU has committed 231 turnovers.

PARKER PREVIEW
Gopher senior forward Parker Fox of Mahtomedi spoke with MNN sports director Mike Grimm about the matchup:

Parker Fox (#23)

(info and stock photos courtesy of Gopher Sports)

Share this: