March 20, 2013
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 7th meeting (1-5*)
Series (Neutral): 2nd meeting (1-0*)
Current Streak: W-1*
Last Meeting: March 22, 1997 (W, 80-72)*
Tubby Smith vs. UCLA: 7th meeting (4-2)
Minnesota in NCAA Tournament: 12-11**
Tubby Smith in NCAA Tournament: 29-15
*Minnesota's 1997 win has since been vacated.
** Minnesota's 1994, `95, `97 tournament records have since been vacated.
GAME DAY TID-BITS
• Minnesota is making its 12th overall NCAA Tournament appearance (1972, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013), and its third trip under six-year head coach Tubby Smith. Minnesota's appearances during the 1994, '95, '97 and '99 tournaments have since been vacated.
• Minnesota is the No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in school history. The Gophers' previous appearances were during 1989, when they knocked off No. 6 seed Kansas State, 86-75, and No. 14 Siena (80-67) to reach the Sweet 16 before falling to second-seeded Duke, 87-70. Minnesota lost to No. 6 Xavier 76-62 in the 2010 tournament.
• The Gophers are 1-5 all-time against UCLA, although the win has since been vacated. It occurred when No. 1 seed Minnesota beat No. 2 seed UCLA in the 1997 Midwest Regional Final, 80-72, in San Antonio to advance to the Final Four.
• UCLA will be Minnesota's 11th game against a team ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the game. The Gophers are 5-5 in those games.
• Tubby Smith is making his 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and third as the head coach at Minnesota. Smith is 29-15 (.659) all-time in the NCAA Tournament and led the 1998 Kentucky Wildcats to the National Title with a 78-69 victory over Utah in San Antonio.
• Rodney Williams and Trevor Mbakwe are the only Gophers with NCAA Tournament experience. However, the duo have combined for just under two minutes of game action. Mbakwe played a minute in Marquette's second round loss to Stanford in 2008 while Williams briefly checked into the 2010 NCAA First Round loss with Xavier.
• The Gophers are 49-27 all-time against schools currently in the Pac-12 Conference. Minnesota head coach Tubby Smith is 17-6 against schools from the Pac-12, including wins against Stanford and USC this season.
MINNESOTA VS. POTENTIAL THIRD ROUND FOES
The Gophers have only faced No. 3 Florida (26-7) once in program history. Minnesota beat the Gators, 74-66, in the first round of the 1993 NIT. Minnesota has never played against No. 14 Northwestern State (23-8).
MINNESOTA VS. SOUTH REGIONAL TEAMS
Minnesota has played 13 of the 15 teams in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament. The Gophers have faced conference rival No. 4 Michigan 140 times, more than any other team in the region. Out of non-conference South Region teams, the Gophers have faced South Dakota State the most, winning all 16 meetings. Overall, Minnesota owns an all-time mark of 90-97 against the other teams in the region (not counting vacated games).
TUBBY TIME IS TOURNEY TIME
• In his 22nd season as a head coach, Tubby Smith is making his 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Smith is 29-15 (.659) all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• Smith has guided Minnesota to three of its nine official Tournament appearances. The Gophers earned back-to-back NCAA bids in 2009 and 2010.
• Smith made 14 consecutive NCAA trips from 1994 to 2007 during his tenures at Tulsa (2), Georgia (2), and Kentucky (10).
