TV: Big Ten Network (Jeff Levering – pbp, Shon Morris, Analyst)
Tip time: 6:01 p.m
Radio: Learfield IMG: KTLK 1130 AM
Mike Grimm (play-by-play); Spencer Tollackson (Analyst)
Sirius: XM-382, App: 972
SERIES INFORMATION
19th meeting in school history
(8-10 all time, 6-4 at home)
Last session: Nov. 29, 2019 (L, 68-73)
Gophers All-Time vs. Big EAST: 45-37
* – excluding cleared games
START FIVE
• The Golden Gophers open this week with two games, first on Monday against DePaul as part of the Gavitt Tipoff Games. The 2022 season marks Minnesota’s first participation in the event since 2019. The Golden Gophers have been 2-1 at the Gavitt Games since 2016. Minnesota earned a home win against St. John’s (2016), an away win at Providence (2017), and a road loss to Butler in the final event (2019).
• The 2019 season also marks the last time the Gophers played a team from Big EAST, including, coincidentally, DePaul. Minnesota also conceded a 73-68 decision against the Blue Demons on November 29, 2019 at Williams Arena. Former Gopher Daniel Oturu led the Gophers with 19 points, 18 rebounds and four blocked shots in that game. Payton Willis scored 16 points. With the win, the Blue Demons started the season 8-0 and it was their best season opener since 1986/87.
• Minnesota clinched a 72-54 win against St. Francis Brooklyn on Friday night, scoring four goals in double figures. Of the four, three were true novices Jaden Henley (16 points), Joshua Ola-Joseph (12) and Pharrell Payne. The trio of freshmen scored 40 of Minnesota’s 72 points. The last time two or more freshmen scored 40+ points in a game dates back to 2018-19 when Daniel Oturu and Gabe Kalscheur combined for 41 points on February 24, 2019 against Rutgers.
• Friday’s win extended Minnesota’s streak of 16 straight wins against nonconference opponents at Williams Arena. The most recent non-conference loss was in 2019 against DePaul.
• Ta’Lon Cooper picked up where he left off in assists last year. The Roebuck, SC product ranks first in the Big Ten in both assists and assists per game in the first two competitions of the season. Cooper’s 16 this season also ranks 13th nationally, while his 8 per game ranks seventh. As a team, Minnesota has 13 three-pointers for 39.4 percent while holding their opponents at 24.1 percent. The Gophers three-point percentage ranks third in the league and seventh in defense past the arc.
ABOUT THE DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS
• DePaul opened his 2022-23 season with back-to-back home wins against Loyola (Md.) and Western Illinois. In the teams’ first two games, DePaul was without a leading returning scorer and rebounder in Nick Ongenda, who struggles with a hand injury on a daily basis.
• Umoja Gibson ranks third among all active Division 1 players with 345 three-pointers and eighth with 174 career steals. DePaul also has eight new additions to the roster this season.
• Like Head Coach ben johnsonTony Stubblefield is also in his second year as DePaul’s head coach as the team won 17-16 last season.
• This year, the Blue Demons are shooting 50.9 percent from the field, 37 from the bow, 80.6 from the charity streak, and averaging 79 points and 35.5 rebounds.
ON THE CASSETTE
• Minnesota is back in action Thursday, November 17 when Central Michigan comes to town. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. and will be televised on the Big Ten Network. Gopher men’s hockey will also be televised on BTN prior to the Gopher men’s basketball game.
• Mike Grimm and Spencer Tollackson provide the page on KTLK 1130 AM.