Jordan Murphy looks like a candidate to not only average double figures in rebounding but also to lead the Big Ten Conference in that category. The Gophers freshman forward from San Antonio had a season high 18 rebounds in 31 minutes in his last game and is averaging 8.7 rebounds during the nonconference schedule.
Murphy ranks second among Big Ten players in rebounding average. He could be the first Gopher to average double figures and lead the conference since Trevor Mbakwe in 2011. “He’s doing a lot of things that have nothing to do with coaching,” Gophers coach Richard Pitino said about Murphy.
Murphy has particularly impressed with his offensive rebounding. He had 11 offensive rebounds among his 18 in the win last week over Chicago State. But Pitino wants improvement from Murphy with his defensive rebounding.
“I agree with him 100 percent that I could be a better defensive rebounder,” Murphy said. “I think that’s the difference between getting 20 rebounds and 18, just being a better defensive rebounder.”
The defensive numbers can improve, Murphy said, if he becomes more effective in blocking opponents from having superior rebounding position. And both his defensive and offensive rebound totals will almost certainly increase with more playing time. So far Murphy hasn’t been a starter and is averaging 22.4 minutes. That is the fifth highest average on the team and means he is playing only a little more than half of the 40 minutes per game.
Pitino is noncommittal about whether Murphy becomes a starter anytime soon. The coach seems to like having the 6-6, 230-pound Texan provide rebounds, points and energy off the bench. Murphy is averaging 10.3 points per game and while he might continue to be a nonstarter for awhile, he is likely to see his minutes increase closer to 30 per game and be on the floor when the Gophers try to close out opponents.
“I don’t really care about starting,” Murphy said. “I am not really here to just make demands and say I gotta start. It’s not me. I am just here to provide energy whenever I need to and just to do whatever coach asks me.”
Murphy is one of the team’s best players already. His instinctive offensive rebounding, characterized by a sense for finding the ball before others do, makes him a special first-year player. As a rebounder, he might prove to be one of the best in school history.
Murphy acknowledges “having a knack for getting the ball,” and credits his father Bernard with helping him develop. A few years ago his dad told him he had rebounding skills and should focus on becoming better at it. “He would actually take me to the park and start throwing up ‘bricks’ (bad shots), and I’d have to go catch them and put them back up,” Murphy said.
He admitted to being a “little” surprised by his early success with the Gophers. Asked if he could lead the Big Ten in rebounding, Murphy said he didn’t know and will have to work hard to have a chance at it.
The Gophers, 6-5, play their final nonconference game on Wednesday night at home against Milwaukee. Then comes the 18-game Big Ten schedule beginning with the opener at Ohio State on December 30. That will be another test for Murphy but so far he is off to a promising start to his college career.