GOPHERS HOSTING #20 MICHIGAN
Tip Time: 6:01 p.m.
SERIES INFORMATION*
159th Meeting (Michigan leads 94-64)
Minnesota’s home record vs. Michigan: 41-33
* – excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men’s basketball program is back at Williams Arena when it hosts No. 20 Michigan at 6 p.m. on FS1. Minnesota is 41-33 all-time at home against the Wolverines, dating back to 1918. The last time the Gophers defeated the Wolverines at Williams Arena was Jan. 16, 2021, in a 75-57 home victory.
• The Golden Gophers are looking to add their second-straight win over Michigan in back-to-back showings as they won 73-71 in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Jan. 4, 2024. Mike Mitchell Jr. led five players in double-figures with 18 points that game, while Dawson Garcia had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Mitchell Jr. made 6-of-12 field goals, including 4-of-9 from three-point range in that win.
• The Gophers played at Maryland Monday night, where the Terrapins earned a six-point win, 77-71, in College Park, Md. Despite Minnesota having a three-point lead at the half, the Terps scored 45 points in the second half for the 77-71 final. Dawson Garcia added 21 points, while Isaac Asuma and Lu’Cye Patterson each had 15 points in the loss. Minnesota’s six-point setback was its closest at XFINITY Center since an 89-75 win there on Feb. 22, 2017.
• Isaac Asuma collected 15 points at Maryland, marking his fourth time coming off the bench this season to score double digits. He scored a career-high 18 points vs. Ohio State and 11 against Wake Forest. He accomplished his first double-digit point game in the Cleveland State win.
• Dawson Garcia established his 13th double-digit point game of the season Monday, while Lu’Cye Patterson added his 10th of the year. Of his 13 double-digit points games, Garcia ranks second in the Big Ten in 20+ point production games, including 22 at Wisconsin and 21 at Maryland. Of Patterson’s 15 points at Maryland, he went 9-of-10 from the line, a season high in makes and attempts.
GARCIA IN THE RECORDBOOKS
• Dawson Garcia has scored 1,259 points as a Golden Gopher and 1,754 as a collegiate athlete. That number ranks 23rd in school history (excluding vacated games). His 21 points at Maryland surpassed him over Amir Coffey, who played for the Gophers from 2016-19 and scored 1,255 points.
DOUBLE DOUBLES FOR GARCIA
• In the loss to Wisconsin, Dawson Garcia added his fourth double double of the season. The Savage, Minn., native also had a double-double against Central Michigan (22 points, 11 rebounds), Michigan State (18 points, 11 rebounds), FDU (18 points, 10 rebounds), and now Wisconsin (22 points, 10 rebounds). His four double-doubles match last year’s amount, which bettered his three in 2022-23. In all, Garcia has 15 collegiate double-double games. He had three in his first year with Minnesota and at Marquette (2020-21), one at North Carolina, and now four in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. His four double-doubles this year are the fastest already in 16 games.
EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• The University of Minnesota men’s basketball program announced Tuesday another outstanding academic fall semester of a team grade point average over a 3.0 That marks seven-straight semesters of a team 3.0 grade point average or higher, all of which have come under head coach Ben Johnson’s tutelage, going 7-for-7. Beginning in spring of 2022, men’s basketball has obtained 21 degrees, including 12 at the master’s level under coach Johnson’s watch.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
• The No. 20 Michigan Wolverines are coming off a 91-75 win over Washington Sunday, improving to 13-3 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play. Michigan’s three losses came against Wake Forest (Nov. 10, 70-72), Arkansas (Dec. 10, 87-89), and Oklahoma (Dec. 18, 86-87) by a combined four points. Michigan and Michigan State sit atop the Big Ten standings, both unblemished early.
• All five of the Wolverine starters average double-digit points. Transfer Vlad Goldin followed Dusty May from FAU to Michigan, leading the team with 15.4 points and 69.2 percent from the field. Three players average over 12 points per game in Aubrun transfer Tre Donaldson (12.6), Ohio State transfer Roddy Gayle Jr. (12.5) and Yale transfer Danny Wolf (12.4). Texas Tech transfer Nimari Burnett averages 10.9 points and shoots a stifling 50 percent from the arc.
• As a team, the Wolverines average 85.1 ppg and allow 68.1. Michigan holds the best field goal percentage in the nation at 51.9 percent. The Wolverines average 38.9 rebounds per game as a team, which ranks third in the league. They have committed 239 turnovers this season.
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)