Preview: The Gophers (10-1) are only two weeks away from the start of the Big Ten season, but they can't afford to overlook their last two nonconference opponents. Minnesota is 9-0 at home this year, but it was just last season that Richard Pitino's team dropped three nonconference games at Williams Arena. Long Island University-Brooklyn defeated St. John's 74-73 on Sunday. The Gophers beat the Red Storm 92-86 on Nov. 18, but they trailed by 13 points in the first half. The Blackbirds (7-3) are led by Northeast Conference player of the year candidate Jerome Frink, who is averaging 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Gophers vs. LIU-Brooklyn game preview
December 14, 2016 at 5:26AM
Players to watch: Minnesota junior Reggie Lynch tied a career high with 18 points, to go with 11 rebounds and three blocks in Sunday's 77-57 win against Northern Illinois. Lynch and Jordan Murphy (12 points and 10 rebounds) were the first frontcourt starters with double-doubles in the same game since Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III in 2010. … Frink was recruited and played for Pitino at Florida International in 2012-13.
Numbers: The Gophers lead the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense (35.4), allowing only two opponents this season to shoot 40 percent or higher.
MARCUS FULLER
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Basketball Across Minnesota: Aaliyah Crump, who committed to Texas, is spending her senior year at Montverde Academy in Florida on a team filled with Division I recruits.
