Massachusetts Minutemen vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Match Player Stats On Nov 24, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Nov 24, 2017

Jordan Murphy's 16-point, 11-rebound double-double Friday led No. 14 Minnesota to a 69-51 blowout win over Massachusetts in the semifinals of the Barclays Center Classic at Steinberg Wellness Center in New York City.

Amir Coffey added 10 points for the Golden Gophers (6-0), which never trailed and led by as many as 26 points early in the second half. Nine players scored and eight played double-figure minutes for Minnesota as it was never threatened over the game's final 25 minutes.

Luwane Pipkins scored 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting for the Minutemen (3-2), which have just eight scholarship players. Massachusetts never found any traction against the Golden Gophers' defense, which held it to 31.8 percent shooting from the field and 5-of-23 shooting from the 3-point line.

Minnesota scored the first six points and then rattled off nine straight after the Minutemen tallied six in a row. The Golden Gophers took firm command with a 14-0 spurt over a 3:34 stretch later in the first half, opening up a 32-14 advantage when Nate Mason scored in transition off a turnover.

Any hope Massachusetts might have harbored of a big second half rally evaporated quickly. Minnesota scored the second half's first seven points, with Coffey capping that run with a layup less than three minutes into the half for a 47-21 margin.

The Golden Gophers finished the day at 42.9 percent from the field and sank 7-of-17 on 3-pointers. They outrebounded the Minutemen 37-31. Each team committed 12 turnovers.

The game was moved from Barclays Center because its NBA tenant, the Brooklyn Nets, played Portland in a noon tip.