Four things learned for Gophers men’s basketball to end nonconference play

For the first time since the season opener, Gophers coach Ben Johnson was able to go deep into his bench Sunday without losing a 20-point lead, in a 90-68 win against Morgan State.

The Gophers saw 11 players score and 10 players reach double figures in minutes played.

Getting extended playing time for reserves might not seem like a big deal, but the rotation is still being figured out going into the rest of Big Ten play.

“It’s going to take everybody,” senior Parker Fox said. “We’re not a team who has five guys who are going to play 40 minutes. ... We’re going to really rely on strength in numbers.”

The Gophers (8-5) resume Big Ten play Thursday against Purdue at home after their highest scoring game, but it wasn’t just offense that took a step Sunday.

Here are four things learned from the final nonconference game:

Mike Mitchell Jr., and Dawson Garcia had their best scoring game together Sunday, combining for 40 points on 10-for-13 shooting from three-point range.

Mitchell had all of his 22 points on 8-for-8 shooting in the first half, including 6-for-6 from beyond the arc.

It was the second time in four games that he hit at least five three-pointers. He’s averaging 16.8 points on 15-for-28 shooting from long distance in that span.

Putting up a career-high 19.1 points per game, Garcia was the only Gophers player averaging double figures in the seven games Mitchell missed with a high-ankle sprain.

Lu’Cye Patterson emerged as another scoring option with double figures in six of seven games before going 1-for-11 on Sunday. But Big Ten opponents will be focusing on Garcia and Mitchell offensively.

The U’s inside-and-outside tandem also combined for 36 points in a Dec. 21 win vs. Fairleigh Dickinson and 35 points in a Dec. 4 loss against Michigan State.

The Gophers finished Sunday’s game with 20 assists on 31 field goals and just five turnovers.

Offense hasn’t always come easy for Johnson’s team, but good things happen when the ball moves.

Patterson didn’t have the best shooting day against Morgan State, but he led the Gophers with six assists and just one turnover. He was one of four players with at least three assists in the game.

The point guard role has been filled by committee this season. Patterson leads the team with 3.9 assists per game and ranks second in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio at plus-4.5.

Freshman Isaac Asuma and senior Femi Odukale don’t look to score too often, but they’ve combined for 13 games with at least three assists this season after Sunday.

Concussion protocol kept Frank Mitchell out of the Fairleigh Dickinson game before Christmas, but he was back healthy Sunday.

The 6-8, 260-pound junior from Toronto was one of the best rebounders in college basketball last season. He’s still figuring out how to make his presence felt inside with the Gophers. He took a big step Sunday, though.

Coming off the bench for the first time this season, Mitchell bullied his way to eight points in the second half. He finished with 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting from the field, to go with four rebounds and three assists in just 11 minutes.

Fox had 11 points while replacing Mitchell in the starting lineup for the second straight game. A reserve role might suit the burly Mitchell best in league play.

Morgan State played without its top two leading scorers with Wynston Tabbs and Amahrie Simpkins sidelined with injuries Sunday. That’s 29 points per game on the bench, so it was a surprise to see Minnesota’s perimeter defense still struggle at times.

Kameron Hobbs had a season-high 25 points on 9-for-17 shooting for the Bears. The 5-10 senior was the smallest player on the floor, but he got into the lane regularly. He also got to his spots for jumpers over taller defenders.

Hobbs was no slouch, having scored 23 points on 10-for-17 shooting in a loss at Iowa State. Still, Purdue will obviously be an even bigger challenge defensively with Big Ten preseason player of the year Braden Smith, who had 34 points and 12 assists Sunday vs. Toledo.