Minnesota hosts No. 20 Purdue following Boilermakers’ 83-64 victory against Toledo

A basketball player jumps for the ball as another shoots.
The University of Minnesota Gopher men's basketball team beat Michigan State at home in February. The two teams faced off again March 14th in the Big Ten tournament at the Target Center, where the Gophers lost.
Nagashia Jackson/courtesy of Minnesota Score Magazine

No. 20 Purdue takes on Minnesota Thursday night after Braden Smith scored 34 points in Purdue's 83-64 win against the Toledo Rockets on Dec. 29, 2024.

The Golden Gophers are 8-2 in home games. Minnesota averages 67.9 points while outscoring opponents by 4.1 points per game.

The Boilermakers are 1-1 against Big Ten opponents. Purdue scores 77.0 points and has outscored opponents by 5.8 points per game.

Minnesota’s average of 6.3 made 3-pointers per game is 1.2 fewer made shots on average than the 7.5 per game Purdue allows. Purdue averages 8.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 6.1 per game Minnesota gives up.

The Golden Gophers and Boilermakers meet in Minnesota for the first time in Big Ten play this season.

Lu'Cye Patterson is averaging 9.7 points and 3.9 assists for the Golden Gophers and Smith averages 2.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Boilermakers, scoring 14.5 points while shooting 43.0% from beyond the arc.

In the last ten games, the Golden Gophers have had a record of 6-4, averaging 68.4 points, 30.7 rebounds, 15.9 assists, 6.3 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.5 points per game.

In the Boilermakers’ last ten games, they have also had a record of 6-4, averaging 74.7 points, 29.4 rebounds, 16.4 assists, 5.7 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.8 points.