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The Big Ten continues through the early portion of conference play with a matchup between the Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) and the Michigan Wolverines (6-7, 1-1 Big Ten). Each team finished up their non-conference slate in their last game. Minnesota is coming off a home win over Maine 80-62, and covered as 13.5-point favorites. Michigan just dropped a home game to McNeese 87-76, losing outright as 10.5-point favorites. Michigan won both matchups against Minnesota last season. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:00 EST from the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and can be found on Peacock.
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The Minnesota Gophers are off to a scorching start against the spread, they are 12-1 ATS in their first 13 games, which is the best cover percentage in the nation. The only game they did not cover was a surprising loss to San Francisco back in late November. The Gophers are 1-1 in conference play with a loss in Ohio State and a home win over Nebraska. Minnesota comes in on a five game win streak. In their last game, they were led by guard Mike Mitchell Jr. with 18 points in the win over Maine.
The Gophers are led in scoring and rebounding by 6'11 junior Dawson Garcia with 17.6 PPG and 7.2 RPG. The game against Maine was his first game back after missing three games with an injury. He gave Ohio State everything he had, as he had 36 points and 10 rebounds in their first conference loss. Garcia has seven made threes on the year, but primarily scores around the rim. Two wing players are tied for sec ond on the team in scoring as 6'2 junior guard Mike Mitchell Jr, and 6'6 freshman guard Cam Christie each average 11.3 PPG. Both wings shoot from the outside, as Mitchell Jr. leads the team with 30 made threes, but Christie is not far behind with 25. Joseph Ola-Joseph is an athletic 6'7 forward adding 10.6 PPG, and point guard Elijah Hawkins leads the team in assists with 7.8 per game while adding 8.3 PPG as a 5'11 junior guard.
Minnesota is currently ranked 82nd overall according to KenPom. They rank 77th in offensive efficiency and 98th in defensive efficiency. The Gophers play at the 178th fastest tempo in the nation. It should be noted that Minnesota has played the easiest non-conference schedule in the nation, ranking 362nd according to KenPom.