National Basketball Association
Minnesota 69, Massachusetts 51
When: 12:00 PM ET, Friday, November 24, 2017
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Officials:
# Brian O'Connell, # Alfred Smith, # Evon Burroughs
Attendance:
1350
By The Sports Xchange
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.
Top Game Performances
Massachusetts |
|
Minnesota |
Luwane Pipkins 18 |
Scoring |
Jordan Murphy 16 |
Rayshawn Miller 3 |
Assists |
Nate Mason 6 |
Chris Baldwin 10 |
Rebounds |
Jordan Murphy 11 |
Luwane Pipkins 3 |
Free Throws Made |
Reggie Lynch 3 |
Unique McLean 3 |
Steals |
Reggie Lynch 3 |
Chris Baldwin 1 |
Blocks |
Reggie Lynch 2 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
Massachusetts
|
51 |
32.3 |
5-25 |
4-6 |
8 |
33 |
2 |
9 |
15 |
Minnesota
|
69 |
42.9 |
7-17 |
8-13 |
14 |
40 |
4 |
8 |
16 |