MINNESOTA (12-7, 5-7 B1G) vs PURDUE (13-7, 8-5 B1G)
Thursday, February 11
4:00 p.m. CT
Minneapolis, Minn. (Williams Arena)
SERIES INFORMATION
178th Meeting (80-97 all-time record)
Home 52-32 // Current Streak: L-2
Richard Pitino vs. Purdue: 5-7
Minnesota vs. Big Ten: 779-860*
Pitino vs. Big Ten regular season games: 53-89
Pitino vs. Big Ten (includes postseason games): 59-96
* – excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
1. Minnesota welcomes No. 24 Purdue to Williams Arena for a rare 4 p.m. game on Thursday. This will be the second meeting between the two schools this season, with the Boilermakers taking the first 81-62. Purdue will be the third Big Ten opponent that Minnesota has faced twice this year, joining Michigan and Iowa. Minnesota went 1-1 against both the Wolverines and Hawkeyes this season and will be looking for the season split with Purdue. The Boilers will be the ninth ranked opponent that Minnesota will face this season. The Gophers opened Big Ten play against eight ranked teams and went 4-4 during that span. Minnesota played only eight ranked opponents last season after facing 11 (a high in the Pinto era) in 2018-19. Minnesota faced six ranked opponents in 2017-18, five in 2016-17, six in 2015-16, six in 2014-15, and nine in 2013-14 (Pitino’s first season at Minnesota).
2. Minnesota is 52-32 all-time against Purdue at home, which is a winning percentages of 61.9%. That is the seventh-best for Minnesota against current Big Ten programs. Minnesota is 495-308 at home against current Big Ten opponents (winning percentage of 61.6%) and is above .500 against every team except Maryland. Minnesota’s last home game against Purdue was a 73-69 win on March 5, 2019. In that game, Amir Coffey (Los Angeles Clippers) scored 32 points and had eight rebounds. Daniel Oturu, who is also with the Clippers, scored two points and had one block. The only current Gopher who played in that game and is still on the team is Gabe Kalscheur.
3. Minnesota is averaging 76.0 points per game this year. That mark – if it holds – would be the highest for Minnesota since it averaged 76.7 points per game during 1992-93 season. The last time Minnesota average more than 76 points per game in a season was 1989-90 when it averaged 83.3 points.
4. Marcus Carr played in his 50th career game as a Gopher on Monday. Carr, who played his freshman season at Pittsburgh, averages 17.1 points per game, 6.2 assists per game and 4.9 rebounds per game as a Gopher. Those are historically good numbers. At this point in his career, his 17.1 points per game would rank tenth in school history (minimum 40 games played) and would be the best career scoring average for a Gopher since Mychal Thompson averaged 20.8 points from 1975-78. His average of 6.2 assists per game would rank first in school history (minimum 40 games played) ahead of Ray Williams who averaged 5.7 from 1976-77.
5. Minnesota is 12-1 at home this year (25th time in school history with 12 home wins) and averages 81.4 points, while allowing only 68.3. In scoring 1,058 points at Williams Arena, Minnesota has made 344 field goals, 97 3-pointers and 273 free throws (opponents have attempted only 275 free throws at Williams Arena). Minnesota also has lopsided home numbers in blocks (65-30) and steals (84-64).
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)