Michigan-Minnesota Game Notes




March 9, 2006

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Michigan

Michigan had won its only two previous meetings vs. Minnesota in 2006. 

With their loss, the Wolverines' record fell to 18-10 overall. Michigan has lost four of its last five games.  UM's all-time Big Ten Tournament (BTT) record fell to 2-7 (6-8 including the games that were ultimately sanctioned), and it lost for the fifth time in its last six BTT games.  UM's all-time record at Conseco Fieldhouse is now 2-3.

With his two successfull free throws vs. Minnesota, Daniel Horton now has hit (41) consecutive shots from the charity stripe. For the season, he is 121-of-129 (.938).  The all-time record for free-throw shooting accuracy by a Big Ten player in a single season is held by Indiana's Steve Alford (.921, 116-for-126, during the 1984-85 campaign).

In Lester Abrams' first appearance since Feb. 1, he had two points, three rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot in 13 minutes. He fouled out of the game.

Defense continues to be the theme in BTT play.  In the first two BTT games of 2006, the winning team has averaged 59.5 ppg, while the losing team has averaged 48.5 ppg.  In the 2005 BTT, the winners averaged 64.8 ppg, while the losers averaged 55.6 ppg.

Michigan entered the 2006 BTT as the tournament's all-time leaders in points per game (71.0), but scored only 55 points vs. Minnesota.  It also was the BTT's all-time leader in three-point field goals (.383 entering the 2006 tournament), but shot just 18.2% (4 of 22) vs. the Gophers.

For the first time in the last nine BTT games (including the last seven of 2005), the team that led at halftime wound up losing the game.

Minnesota
 
First ever BTT first round meeting between Minnesota and Michigan.  

Minnesota's current overall record for the season is 15-13.  Minnesota's 2006 record vs. Michigan is 1-2.  The Gophers' overall BTT record is 6-8.
 
A team that has scored less then 60 points won for the 10th time out of 24 BTT games.


 

 

The Gophers stopped their four-game losing streak with this win.

Senior forward Zach Puchtel led the Gophers with a career high of 15 rebounds. This ties him for the fourth-best single game rebounding performance in BTT history.

Senior guard Adam Boone's 134 assists moves him to seventh on the all time Minnesota list for assists in a season. This also ups his career total to 257 assists.

Senior guard Vincent Grier brought his career points total with the Gophers to 1,053 points.

Minnesota caused 21 Michigan turnovers which tied the fourth-best single game team performance in BTT history. (IND vs. MSU 3/8/02)

Minnesota ups its record when trailing at the half to 3-10.

The number 10 seed now has a record of (5-3) in first-round games vs. the number seven seed.