Amir Coffey goes to hoop (photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
Freshman Amir Coffey scored 10 points, all in the second half, and Minnesota came from behind to beat Texas-Arlington 84-67 on Monday night.
Reggie Lynch, in his first year with Minnesota after transferring last season, scored 14 points. Jordan Murphy added 11 points and 12 rebounds and five Gophers in all scored in double figures.
”I think it just shows, we got a long way to go obviously, but this is not last year’s team,” Minnesota coach Richard Pitino said. ”It’s very evident. It’s a totally different team with much more balance and depth.”
The Gophers (2-0) trailed the final eight minutes of the first half against the preseason Sun Belt Conference favorite Mavericks (1-1).
But Coffey and Lynch ignited Minnesota in the second half. Minnesota used a 22-1 run to take control as Texas-Arlington missed its first 12 shots of the half and had a scoring drought of over six minutes.
#22 Reggie Lynch blocks a shot (photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
”We were just out there playing free and guarding the 3, which was the biggest problem in the first half,” Lynch said.
Jalen Jones scored 17 points and Erick Neal added 12 for Texas-Arlington. The Mavericks pulled out road wins at Ohio State and Memphis last season, and appeared primed to pull another upset against the Gophers.
Texas-Arlington hit 9 of 18 3-pointers in the first half but just one in the second half.
”I think our guys, to be honest, it looks to me like they lost a little bit of that chip on their shoulder, grit,” coach Scott Cross said. ”It’s a learning lesson for us. I guess I’d rather learn a lesson now than in conference, and hopefully our guys will be better.”
BIG PICTURE
Minnesota: The Gophers got the test coach Richard Pitino was seeking for his new-look squad. Coffey had eight of his points during Minnesota’s second-half run and added two steals. The 6-foot-10 Lynch gives the Gophers an option down low.
UP NEXT
Minnesota remains home on Wednesday against Mount St.-Mary’s. Tickets are on sale now. It’s a matchup of two schools with very different schedules. Minnesota plays its first six games at home and 12 of the first 14. Mount St. Mary’s starts the season with nine straight road games.