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WATCH: Richard Pitino gives Minnesota star Jordan Murphy the perfect sendoff

Dustin Schutte

By Dustin Schutte

Published:

If there was ever a college basketball player who deserved to leave the court to a standing ovation, Minnesota’s Jordan Murphy is that guy. Especially considering Saturday’s circumstances.

Minnesota’s season came to a disappointing end on Saturday, with the Gophers falling to Michigan State 70-50 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It marked the end of the road for a few special Gopher players, including Murphy, who wasn’t able to participate much due to an injury. A frustrating end to a stellar career, for sure.

But head coach Richard Pitino allowed his star to leave the court one final time to a standing ovation.

Along with the excitement and pursuit of a national title, this is what March is really all about. This was a special moment for Murphy, the Golden Gophers and the fans:

Murphy ends his career as the No. 1 overall rebounder and No. 2 scorer in Minnesota history. He finished the season averaging a double-double, with 14.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Murphy helped Minnesota register its first NCAA Tournament win of the Pitino era.

In his long, illustrious career with the Gophers, Murphy gave all he had to the program. It was nice to see the fans and his teammates show their appreciation one final time.

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB