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Miami Hurricanes will travel to Minnesota for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge

By Alan Rubenstein

Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Ja'Quan Newton (0) looks to shoot as Michigan State Spartans forward Kenny Goins (25) and guard Miles Bridges (22) guard during the first half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Ja'Quan Newton (0) looks to shoot as Michigan State Spartans forward Kenny Goins (25) and guard Miles Bridges (22) guard during the first half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Miami Hurricanes will travel to Minnesota for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge this upcoming season.

Miami is 5-5 all-time in the challenge, but just 1-4 on the road. The Hurricanes defeated former Big East foe Rutgers 73-62 in the challenge at the Watsco Center last season.

Miami has won their last three games in the challenge. They defeated Nebraska in 2015 and number 24 Illinois in 2014.

The ACC has won 11 of the 18 challenges. The Big Ten has won five and the conferences have split the other two. Game times and the TV Schedule has yet to be announced for the challenge.

Miami has played in every challenge since joining the ACC except 2007 and 2010. The Hurricanes are 4-2 under Jim Larranaga in the challenge.

Miami and Minnesota have split their two previous meetings.  The Hurricanes won the first matchup 63-58 in 2009 in their only challenge meeting. The Golden Gophers defeated Miami 78-60 in the NIT in March 2012. Both games were in Miami.

Minnesota is coming off of a 24-10 season. They were a five seed in the NCAA Tournament’s South Region. The Golden Gophers were upset by fifth-seeded Middle Tennessee State in the first round.

That marked the second straight season the Blue Raiders ousted a Big Ten team in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. They eliminated second-seeded Michigan State as a 15 seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

Minnesota finished fourth in the Big Ten last season with an 11-7 record. That was their best Big Ten finish since 2005.

The Golden Gophers are coached by Richard Pitino. He is the son of legendary Louisville coach Rick Pitino. Pitino earned Big Ten Coach of the Year this past season.

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Minnesota returns virtually its entire roster for the 2017-18 season. Their only significant loss is guard Hakeem Springs who averaged 9.3 points per game and three rebounds. Springs was a graduate transfer.

Nate Mason leads the Minnesota returnees. He was named first team all Big-Ten last season. Mason averaged 15.2 points per game, 3.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals.

Sophomore Jordan Murphy was named third team all Big-Ten, Amir Coffey was named to the all-freshman team and Reggie Lynch earned the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Coffey and Murphy give the Golden Gophers excellent size on the perimeter at 6’8 and 6’6. The 6’10 Lynch is a presence inside. His 3.45 blocked shots per game ranked second in the country. Ben Lammers of Georgia Tech finished third.

Minnesota was not a good offensive team last season. They won games with elite defense. They finished in the top 25 in the country in two-point field goal percentage defense, three-point field goal percentage defense and overall field goal percentage.

Next: Miami Hurricanes Guard Bruce Brown Selected as Preseason All-American

Minnesota has won three of their four challenge games under Pitino. The Gophers loss to Florida State in last season’s ACC-Big Ten Challenge. That broke a five-game Minnesota winning streak in the challenge.

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