Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - A couple of teams jockeying for position in
the ultra-competitive Big Ten Conference meet in Minneapolis tonight, as
another chapter of the legendary "Border War" is added when the Minnesota
Golden Gophers play host to the 21st-ranked Wisconsin Badgers.
At present, Minnesota owns a 100-89 advantage in the all-time series, and the
Gophers are 67-30 against the Badgers in Minneapolis. The last meeting between
the two took place in Madison on December 28, 2010, and Wisconsin snapped a
three-game losing streak against Minnesota by claiming a 68-60 victory.
Wisconsin is an impressive 18-6 on the season, and the team has won seven of
its 11 conference bouts thus far. The Badgers recently had a six-game win
streak snapped with a 58-52 loss at home to Ohio State last Saturday, dropping
the team's home record to 11-4. UW has won its last three road games, and is
5-2 on enemy turf this season.
Minnesota is enjoying a successful campaign of its own, logging a 17-7 record,
which includes a 12-2 ledger at home. Unfortunately, the Golden Gophers have
gone just 5-6 in conference, although they've played better in recent weeks,
winning two of their last three and five of their last seven. A 69-61 victory
at Nebraska last Sunday was the team's most recent, and UM will play five of
its remaining seven games of the regular season at home.
Wisconsin continues to play the kind of stifling defense only it can, as the
Badgers are still the nation's top team in terms of points allowed (49.8 ppg).
Foes are shooting just 36.5 percent from the field, which includes a dismal
26.2 percent showing from three-point range, and UW owns favorable margins in
both rebounding (+3.2) and turnovers (+2.3) as well. Jordan Taylor (14.0 ppg,
4.1 rpg, 4.4 apg) is one of three players currently averaging double digits in
the scoring column for coach Bo Ryan's club, which puts up 64.1 ppg on the
strength of its 42.9 percent shooting from the floor, and 35.6 percent from
beyond the arc. Unfortunately, while Taylor's scoring average rises to 16.1
ppg against conference opponents, the team's dips to 59.3 ppg while its
average yield rises to 55.9 ppg. Ryan Evans scored 14 points to lead four
players in double figures, but the Badgers shot just 40 percent from the floor
in what turned out to be a six-point loss to Ohio State last weekend. Both
teams struggled from long range, with UW going just 5-of-27 (.185) and OSU a
paltry 1-of-7 (.143). The Buckeyes used a 13-3 edge in points from the foul
line, as well as a 15-9 advantage in second-chance points to claim the
victory.
The loss of star forward Trevor Mbakwe after only seven games should have
spelled disaster for Minnesota, but coach Tubby Smith rallied his troops and
the team has gone on to be a thorn in the side of many an opponent this year.
At present, the Gophers have just a pair of 10 ppg scorers in Rodney Williams
and Julian Welch, but the team as a whole is generating 69.2 ppg on 47.5
percent field goal efficiency and 36.0 percent from beyond the arc. The team's
defensive effort holds the opposition to 63.3 ppg, with those foes shooting
just 41.4 percent from the floor and 33.9 percent from three-point land. Since
the start of Big Ten play, UM is netting nearly the same number of points as
it permits (67.7 ppg to 67.4 ppg). Chip Armelin came off the bench to score 15
points to lead Minnesota to victory in its recent bout with Nebraska, while
Welch was the only starter to reach double figures as he drained all three of
his three-point tries en route to 10 points. As a team, the Gophers connected
on 54.0 percent of their total shots, nailing 7-of-17 three-point attempts
along the way, and they won the rebounding battle, 31-24, while holding the
Cornhuskers to 43.8 percent field goal efficiency.
The Sports Network