Gophers men's basketball matchup at Golden State Warriors' Arena features intriguing battle of bigs

Fans watching Sunday's Gophers vs. San Francisco matchup will be treated by a battle between two of the best big men in their respective conferences.

Dawson Garcia has been on pace for a breakout junior season with the Gophers, while averaging career highs in points (18.8) and rebounds (9.0), blocks (1.4) and free-throw shooting (88.8%). The 6-11 former Prior Lake standout credited being in the best shape of his career to having a strong start individually, but he's most interested in winning at a higher level.

The Dons are led by 6-8, 225-pound junior Jonathan Mogbo, who leads the team with 14.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Mogbo has scored in double figures in all six games this season and he recorded a season-high 18 rebounds in USF's last victory against Fort Wayne. Mogbo ranks first among West Coast Conference players this season in field goal percentage (76.5%).

The Dons have five players 6-8 or taller, but the Gophers could get a big boost in the paint if 6-9, 255-pound sophomore Pharrel Payne isn't on a minutes restriction. Payne, who had six points and five rebounds in 10 minutes in Tuesday's win vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, has been nursing a foot injury.

The Gophers have a three-player attack at point guard with juniors Elijah Hawkins, Mike Mitchell Jr. and freshman Cam Christie, who combined for 32 points and 12 assists Tuesday against Pine Bluff.

Third-year coach Ben Johnson has started Hawkins at point guard in all five games this season, but Mitchell and Christie have provided a much-needed boost off the bench.

San Francisco has arguably one of the most underrated backcourts on the West Coast. Junior Marcus Williams runs the show (14.8 points and 3.0 assists per game), but he has help from talented 6-8 sophomore Mike Sharavjamts from Mongolia (averages 11.0 points and a team-high 4.5 assists). Freshman Ryan Beasley also has 30 points combined in his last two games, including 6-for-11 shooting from three-point range.

The Gophers are a much different team this season at the foul line. Night and day.

Last season, the Gophers were dead last in Division I in free-throw percentage (61.9%), but they've shown major improvement. They ranked first in the Big Ten and 30th nationally (78%) in free-throw percentage through five games. They also rank first in the conference and 24^th nationally in free throws made (19.2) per game entering Tuesday.

Hawkins is shooting 21-for-22 from the foul line this season, ranking first in the Big Ten.

In the opening win vs. Bethune-Cookman, the Gophers shot 27-for-35. The 27 free throws made were the most in a game for the Gophers since they made 34 free throws during the 2020-21 season against Saint Louis and UMKC, respectively.

Garcia, who shoots 32-for-36 on free throws this season, went 14-for-16 from the foul line against Bethune-Cookman, the most free throws by a Gophers player since Marcus Carr went 14-for-19 vs. Saint Louis on Dec. 12, 2020.

GAME INFO

Time: 7:30 p.m. CT, Sunday. Where: Chase Center. Line: Gophers 4.5-point underdogs. Series: The Gophers and Dons have never played previously. TV: CBS Sports Network. Online/Live video: CBS Sports Network app. Radio: 103.5 FM.

PROJECTED STARTERS

MINNESOTA GOPHERS (4-1)

Pos.-Player Ht. Yr. PPG

G – Elijah Hawkins 5-11 Jr. 9.0

G – Braeden Carrington 6-4 So. 7.2

F – Joshua Ola-Joseph 6-7 So. 9.8

F – Isaiah Ihnen 6-9 Jr. 9.4

F – Dawson Garcia 6-11 Jr. 18.8

Key reserves – Cam Christie, G, 6-6, Fr., 9.8 ppg; Parker Fox, F, 6-8, Sr., 3.6 ppg; Mike Mitchell Jr., G, 6-2, Jr. 8.4 ppg; Pharrel Payne, F, 6-9, So., 7.0 ppg.

Coach: Ben Johnson 26-40 record (third season)

Notable: The Gophers had a perfect record in nonconference games away from home in Ben Johnson's first season as coach, going 4-0, including true road wins at Pittsburgh and Mississippi State. Johnson didn't fare as well last year with a 1-2 record in those games, including a loss to UNLV in California. The Gophers beat Cal Baptist by a point in overtime in the same SoCal Challenge event a year ago.

SAN FRANCISCO DONS (4-2)

Pos.-Player Ht. Yr. PPG

G – Marcus Williams 6-2 Jr. 14.0

G – Mike Sharavjamts 6-8 So. 11.0

F – Isaiah Hawthorne 6-8 Jr. 6.2

F – Ndewedo Newbury 6-7 Jr. 6.7

F – Jonathan Mogbo 6-8 Jr. 14.8

Key reserves – Ryan Beasley, G, 5-11, Fr., 8.8 ppg; Stefan Todorovic, F, 6-8, Jr., 6.0 ppg; Josh Kunen, F, 6-8, Sr., 2.5 ppg.

Coach: Chris Gerlufson 32-21 (third season)

Notable: The Dons have already knocked off a Power Five opponent: they beat DePaul 70-54 in the Arizona Tip-Off earlier this month. Mogbo and Williams combined for 28 points in the win vs. DePaul. That tandem also combined for 33 points in their latest win vs. Purdue Fort Wayne.

Fuller's score prediction (4-1): Gophers 68, San Francisco 64.