SERIES INFORMATION*
Second Meeting All Time, Minnesota leads, 1-0
First Meeting vs Morgan St: Dec. 8, 2009 (MN W, 94-64)
Gophers All-Time vs. MEAC: 6-0
* – excludes vacated games
Tip Time: 1:02 p.m., Williams Arena, Minneapolis
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men’s basketball program returns to action on Dec. 29 after an eight-day hiatus following the holidays. The Golden Gophers host Morgan State to close out the nonconference portion of the schedule Sunday at 1 p.m. The first and only other time in school history the Gophers played the Bears dates back to a 94-64 win on Dec. 8, 2009. Blake Hoffarber led the Gophers in scoring with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Lawrence Westbrook added 14 points, four assists, and four steals in that game.
• Minnesota is playing its first and only Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) team in Morgan State this Sunday. The Gophers are 7-2 in nonconference play.
• Minnesota is looking to add a two-game win streak after it defeated FDU, 74-60 on Dec. 21. Dawson Garcia recorded a double-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, and Mike Mitchell Jr. had 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists, as Minnesota (7-5) held FDU to a season-low scoring total in the win. It was Garcia’s third double-double of the season. Four Gophers players reached double-figures, something they also accomplished versus Cleveland State and Wichita State.
• After a slow start vs. FDU, Minnesota scored 54 second-half points en route to the 74-60 win. The Gophers shot their best half of the season when they went 18-of-25 and 72 percent in the second half. The 54 points marked the most points in a half for the Gophers this season and the first time scoring 50 points since Minnesota did so against Illinois on Feb. 28, 2024 when it had 52.
• Mike Mitchell Jr. had his best point production game of the season in the FDU win. Mitchell Jr. played in the first two games of the year, missed the next seven due to an ankle injury, and returned to action at the start of December. In his five games this year, he’s already averaging 11.6 points per game and 21 assists. His previous season-best was 17 in the Big Ten opener against Michigan State.
SCOUTING MORGAN STATE
• Morgan State enters the Minnesota game with a 6-9 record and last competed on Dec. 22 at Iowa State where the Cyclones won, 99-72.
• The Bears have four that average double-digit scoring, led by Wynston Tabbs with 16.1 points. Amahrie Simpkins follows Tabbs with 12.7 ppg, while Will Thomas (12.1 ppg and Kameron Hobbs (10.7 ppg) round out the double-digit scoring. Daniel Akitoby averages a team-best 5.9 rebounds.
• As a team, the Bears hold the 14th-best field goal percentage in the country shooting 50.5 percent. They also rank eighth nationally in fast-break points. Morgan State averages 81.9 points, but allows 81.2. The Bears are shooting 34.5 from beyond the arc and 69.5 from the charity stripe. They average 37.1 rebounds per game and have 122 steals this season.
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
