Gophers Win a Pair
November 2016
The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team has compiled a 3-0 record to start the 2016-17 season after wins over Texas-Arlington and Mount St. Mary’s.
Under coach Richard Pitino. The Gophers have not recorded such an impressive mark since his National Invitational Tournament champions went 5-0 to begin the 2013-14 season. One reason is the coach chose not to enter a pre-season tournament this year.
Of the three wins to date, the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) proved to be the strongest challenge. The Mavericks are predicted to win the Sun Belt Conference title and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
For one half, the Mavericks dominated play with nine three-point baskets and a 41-35 lead. In the second half, the Gophers took a 46-44 lead at the 16:21 mark and never looked back. A 13-0 run made it 59-44 Gophers, and the home team was on its way. With five minutes left in the game, it was 75-55, and the Gophers were coasting. The three-point line was stoutly defended, and UTA had only one three-point basket in the second half.
“I was as nervous about this game as I have ever been,” Pitino admitted afterward. “I was extremely concerned.”
No worries. Six Gophers scored in double figures, led by Reggie Lynch with 14 and Nate Mason and DuPree McBrayer with 13 each. The Gophers out-rebounded the tall Texans 42-32. The final score was : Minnesota 84, UTA 67.
This was followed by an 80-56 drubbing of Mount St. Mary’s, also at Williams Arena. This game was nearly played in secret as the crowd, announced at 7,940, was considerably less than that. Memories of 1962 flooded back, for in those days, the price of admission allowed the purchaser to pick and choose nearly any seat in the house.
The men of the Mount were not as accomplished as the Mavericks, and the Gophers knew it, allowing sloppy play (nine turnovers) to dominate the first half. Nevertheless, Minnesota forged a 37-29 lead with balanced scoring, led by McBrayer with nine.
Once again, Minnesota took charge in the second half. McBrayer’s thunderous dunk gave the Gophers a 43-31 lead, causing the sparse crowd to summon up something close to a roar. From there it was all Minnesota peaking at 76-49 when Pitino substituted at will.
“This is not last year’s team,” Pitino said. “We’re a totally different team.” Thank goodness. Last year’s team ended the season with an 85-52 loss to Illinois in the annual Big 10 Tournament. That team started Charles Buggs, Stephon Sharp, Bakary Konate, Ahmed Gilbert, and Jordan Murphy.
Murphy’s back, and against Mount St. Mary’s, scored on eight of nine shots from the field and added a pair of free throws for 18 total points. The only throwback to last season was he missed five free throw attempts. His 12 rebounds gave him the coveted double-double.
“The more we win,” said Murphy after the game, “the more people are going to come to our games.”