GOPHERS-WILDCATS
Tuesday, February 25th
Tip Time: 7:02 p.m., Williams Arena, Minneapolis
SERIES INFORMATION*
175th Meeting (102-72 all time)
Last Meeting: March 9, 2024 (NU W, 90-66)
* – excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men’s basketball program is home for the second-straight game when it hosts Northwestern Tuesday at 6 p.m. The games marks the 175th meeting, dating back to 1909. Minnesota holds a 59-23 record at home against the Wildcats, including a 75-66 overtime win last year.
• Minnesota fell in the last meeting between the two teams as the Golden Gophers ended the regular season in a 90-66 loss at Northwestern last year on March 9, 2024. Dawson Garcia had game-high totals of 30 points and nine rebounds, but Northwestern shot 58.6 percent from the field on senior night for the win. Boo Buie and Brooks Barnhizer each had 23 points, while Nick Martinelli had 14 in the win. Minnesota finished the regular season 9-11 in the Big Ten, while Northwestern was 12-8.
• The Gophers are looking to return to the win column after a 69-60 loss to Penn State on Saturday. Femi Odukale led five players in double-figures with 15 points, and Dawson Garcia had 11 points and 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. It also marked a season-high crowd of 11,292 at Williams Arena. Also scoring in double digits were Isaac Asuma, Mike Mitchell Jr., and Lu’Cye Patterson, all with 10.
• Dawson Garcia added his seventh double-double of the season Saturday. His seven double-doubles are the most in a single season, which bettered his four in 2023-24 and three in 2022-23. Garcia has 18 collegiate double-double games, 14 of which have come as a Gopher. He had three at Marquette (2020-21) and one at North Carolina.
• Femi Odukale had one of his better point production games in the loss vs. Penn State. He scored 15 points, his third game with 15 or more points this year. Odukale was 4-of-4 from the field and 6-of-7 at the free throw line. It was his most efficient game since the Iowa win when he went 5-of-8 and 7-of-11 from the line when he scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half.
DAWSON DISCUSSES
Gopher star forward Dawson Garcia of Savage spoke with MNN sports director Mike Grimm:
Dawson Garcia
TRAFFIC ADVISORY
University Avenue will be reduced to one or two lanes between 10th Avenue (at I-35W) and Oak Street and buses will occasionally detour around the area. The first of these single–lane closures is the southern drive lane from February 24–28. This project is expected through November of 2025. Fans are encouraged to allocate additional time arriving at Williams Arena. University Avenue will have a single-lane closed from 10th Ave. to 14th Ave. Individuals looking to avoid this closure should utilize one of the below routes:
Exit 35W Northbound at 17C and follow signs for East Bank.
Exit 35W Southbound at Washington Avenue and follow across the Washington Avenue bridge to East Bank
Exit I94 at Huron Boulevard and continue to University Avenue/Oak Street
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
• Northwestern has been on hiatus since its Feb. 20 win over Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, 70-49. The Wildcats are 14-13 overall and 5-11 in Big Ten play.
• Nick Martinelli is tied for the Big Ten lead in points per game averaging 19.7 in overall games. The Nittany Lions have been riddled with injuries during the Big Ten season. Returner Brooks Barnhizer as well as Jalen Leach suffered season-ending injuries, which knocked out two of their top three scorers. Ty Berry averages 10.3 points and his shooting 38.5 percent from the arc. Matthew Nicholson has started in all 27 games and averages 5.3 points and 5.6 rebounds. K.J. Windham has played in 23 games and averages 4 points. He scored 15 in the OSU win.
• As a team, the Wildcats average 73.4 points and allow 69.7. They are shooting 44.2 from the field and 33.3 from the arc. Northwestern averages 34.2 rebounds and has 199 steals this season.
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
