Parker Fox makes a big impact in first Gophers start

Forward made his first start at the U on the team's Senior Day Saturday.

In front of 11,318 fans — the Gophers men's basketball team's largest crowd of the season — Parker Fox got to hear his named called as he ran out of the tunnel for his first career start for the Gophers on Saturday against Penn State at The Barn.

It was a special moment for a player who had a long and difficult road in his return to the court, which came after back-to-back ACL tears kept him on the sidelines the last two seasons. Even better was the fact that Fox played a key role in a Gophers rally that saw the U turn a 23-point first-half deficit into a 75-70 victory over the Nittany Lions.

Fox earned the start on the team’s Senior Day, running out of the tunnel in place of sophomore big man Pharrel Payne, who eagerly sacrificed a start for a teammate who had been through so much on his way to becoming a key piece of the rotation.

“It was special. You know, I never really thought about (starting) when it comes to playing here and being a member of this team, but I think it was pretty special to have coach (Ben Johnson) do that,” Fox said. “And to have a guy like (Payne) to be so selfless and being encouraging to me.

“I talked to (Payne) before the game, and I told him, ‘If this is something that you don’t want me to do, then tell me.’ And he was just super encouraging and was the first one to cheer me on, so I think that’s just a testament to the kind of guys that we got in our locker room.”

On the court, Fox stuffed the stat sheet, recording 11 points, six rebounds, four blocks and a steal in the victory. He made the types of energy and hustle plays that the Gophers have grown accustomed to him making throughout the season.

“I think he just does what he normally does, you know, he plays with energy, doesn’t want it to end-type of mentality, was flying around,” Johnson said. “I think he realized we were flat, so somebody had to step up. And thankfully he did and I thought that carried us in the second half.”

The Gophers’ lack of energy was noticeable in the first half as they fell behind by 23 points early in the frame. Every player on the Gophers roster had a negative plus-minus in the opening 20 minutes, except for one: Fox. 

All four of Fox's blocks came in the first half, and he also recorded seven points and five rebounds in the frame. He was a plus-2 in his 14 minutes in the opening half.

Fox’s energy and spark on both sides of the ball were a big reason why the Gophers were able to whittle down the 23-point deficit to 12 by halftime. 

He continued to make an impact as the U worked to eliminate the deficit entirely, and eventually take the lead on its way to the victory. 

Fox’s layup in the second half capped a 10-0 Gophers run that cut their deficit to 53-51 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the contest. That same play also was when point guard Elijah Hawkins set the Gophers’ single-season assists record, surpassing Marcus Carr’s mark of 207 during the 2019-20 season.

Fox did a little bit of everything for the U in Saturday’s comeback victory. He did what he’s done countless times throughout the season, providing a spark, bringing energy and making the little plays that can determine the outcome of the game. Fox delivered in a big way in his first career Gophers start, one that he most certainly earned.

“I just try to, if you can, reward guys with something like that on Senior Night,” Johnson said. “You can’t always do it, but that’s the guy that’s been with me from Day 1. Obviously, everything that he’s battled, anytime I can kind of reward a guy and let him get his name called, I want to do it. He’s obviously earned that, (Fox) could easily start for this team.

“But I do, I love what he brings off the bench. I love the energy. You know, again, he just wants to win. He’s at this stage in his career where when you battle through those types of injuries, he wants to win for the guys in the locker room and for the program and for the state. He’s just about the right stuff, so it was good to get him out there and let him really impact the game (Saturday).” 

Minnesota forward Parker Fox (23) celebrates his shot against Ohio State during the first half at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on Feb. 22, 2024 :: Matt Krohn / USA TODAY Sports