MINNESOTA (7-1) vs IOWA (7-1)
Friday, December 25
7:00 p.m. CT
Minneapolis, Minn. (Williams Arena)
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 192nd Meeting (101-90)*
Series (Neutral): Fourth Meeting (0-3)*
Current Streak: L-2
Richard Pitino vs. Iowa: 5-6
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 770-847*
Richard Pitino vs. Big Ten: 53-86
* – excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• Minnesota returns to Big Ten action Christmas night when the No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes come to town. The Golden Gophers and the Hawkeyes were scheduled to meet in the Big Ten Tournament on March 12, 2020, but due to COVID-19, that game and the remainder of the tournament was canceled.
• The last contest against the Hawkeyes dates back to Feb. 16, 2020 when Iowa defeated the Gophers, 58-55, also at Williams Arena. Daniel Oturu scored 15 points and Marcus Carr added 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Minnesota.
• The Friday contest marks the first time in school history a game will be played on Christmas. The closest prior to that dates back to Dec. 24, 1945 when Minnesota played at Michigan State. In fact, it’s believed to be the first Christmas contest by any Gopher athletic team. Minnesota Football played in the Quick Lane Bowl on Dec. 26, 2018 in Detroit.
• Marcus Carr is approaching his 1,000th career point, now sitting at 989. The redshirt junior accomplished has accomplished 669 points with Minnesota and had 320 in his one year at Pittsburgh. Carr, who currently has 191 points this season, ranks seventh nationally averaging 23.9 points per game. He also ranks third nationally in total points (191) behind Sam Houston State’s Zach Nutall (209 points) and Iowa’s Luka Garza (205). Carr ranks 10th nationally in field goals made going 60-129 through eight games.
• Minnesota is coming off a 90-82 win over Saint Louis Sunday night, marking the end to nonconference action this season. It was the third time this year the Gophers scored 90 points in a game and second time it scored 34 from the charity stripe. Marcus Carr led the game with 32 points, his second 30-point game this season. Isaiah Ihnen recorded the team’s first double double of the year and first of his career when he had 10 points and 10 rebounds. It was also his first double-digit point production of his collegiate career. In all, Minnesota had five players in double digit points (Carr -32, Ihnen and Robbins-10, Gach and Kalscheur-11).
GACH GEARED UP
Gopher guard Both Gach of Austin talked with MNN sports director Mike Grimm about Friday’s game against the Hawkeyes:
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)