Gophers' Jordan Murphy's week gets busier with 3-on-3 tournament at Mall of America

Gophers senior forward Jordan Murphy will be playing with the Big Ten team at the 3-on-3 national championship Friday through Sunday at Mall of America. Ex-Gopher Nate Mason was on the winning team last year in San Antonio.

April 3, 2019 at 8:45PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Big Ten team will get a chance to defend its Dos Equis 3x3U National Championship title this year with another Gophers All-Big Ten standout leading the way.

Minnesota senior forward Jordan Murphy will join Wisconsin's Ethan Happ, Indiana's Juwan Morgan and Nebraska's Glynn Watson to compete in the 3-on-3 tournament Friday through Sunday at the Mall of America.

Minnesota forward Jordan Murphy (3) shoots over Louisville forward Dwayne Sutton during a first round men's college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
(AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Last season, former Gophers guard Nate Mason teamed with Indiana's Robert Johnson, Purdue's Vincent Edwards and Ohio State's JaeSean Tate to take first place and win the $50,000 prize during Final Four week in San Antonio.

The 2019 field also represents all 32 Division I basketball conferences with 100 all-conference players, including eight conference players of the year.

The prize pool is $150,000, but the champions take home twice as much as last season with a $100,000 payout. The winners also earn an opportunity to compete in the 2019 USA Basketball 3-on-3 open national championship May 3-4 in Las Vegas.

Murphy will have a busy week, because he will also be competing in the Reese's College Senior All-Star Game 3 p.m. Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The 6-foot-7 San Antonio native was sidelined with a back injury in the Gophers' loss to Michigan State in the NCAA tournament second round in Des Moines.

But Murphy, who finished second all-time in school points and first in rebounds, has been rehabbing the last week to be able to play in the Final Four events in town.

about the writer

Marcus Fuller

Reporter

Marcus Fuller covers Gophers men's basketball and college basketball for the Star Tribune. He has 13 years of experience covering Twin Cities college and professional sports. 

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