huskeraddict
All-Conference
January 26, 2014
5pm CT - BTN
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,147) - Lincoln, NE
Minnesota Golden Gophers 15-5, 4-3 (Last: W 81-68 vs Wisconsin)
vs
Nebraska Cornhuskers 9-9, 1-5 (Last: L 58-54 vs Penn State)
Big Ten Standings
#21 Michigan 7-0, 15-4
#3 Michigan State 7-1, 18-2
#10 Iowa 5-2, 16-4
#9 Wisconsin 4-3, 17-3
Minnesota 4-3, 15-5
#17 Ohio State 3-4, 16-4
Purdue 3-4, 13-7
Northwestern 3-5, 10-11
Indiana 2-4, 12-7
Illinois 2-5, 13-7
Nebraska 1-5, 9-9
Penn State 1-6, 10-10
Head Coaches
Minnesota Richard Pitino (33-19, 15-5 at Minnesota)
Nebraska Tim Miles (307-247, 24-27 at Nebraska)
Injury Report
Minnesota
F - Charles Buggs - Ankle - Questionable
G - Andre Hollins - Ankle - Doubtful
Nebraska
No injuries to report
Scouting Minnesota
Under Richard Pitino, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the biggest surprises in the Big Ten. Pitino is in his first year at Minnesota after coaching at Florida International during the 2012-13 season. Florida International went 18-14 and advanced to the title game of the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.
Minnesota is 15-5 on the season and 4-3 in the Big Ten following an 81-68 win over No. 9 Wisconsin Wednesday evening. The Gophers went 11-2 during non-conference action, including a six-game win streak before Big Ten action. UM’s best wins in non-conference actions were victories at Richmond and against Florida State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Four of Minnesota’s five losses are to nationally ranked teams, including against unbeaten Syracuse in the Maui Invitational and at No. 3 Michigan State, a contest they led most of regulation before falling to the Spartans.
The Gophers’ strength is a full-court press which leads the Big Ten with 8.2 steals per game, as Minnesota will occasionally play a four-guard lineup. Austin Hollins and DeAndre Mathieu both rank in the top six in the Big Ten in steals per game. Minnesota is also the best free throw shooting team in the conference, hitting 75.6 percent from the foul line.
Andre Hollins leads Minnesota and ranks among the Big Ten leaders at 15.4 points per game, but suffered an ankle injury early in Wednesday’s win and is doubtful for Sunday. Senior Austin Hollins chips in 11.8 points per game. On the inside, junior center Elliott Eliason, who is from Chadron, Neb., averages 6.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game to rank third in the Big Ten in rebounding. He is also second in the conference in blocked shots at 2.6 per game. One other Husker-Gopher connection is Minnesota assistant coach Ben Johnson, who was a member of Nebraska’s coaching staff last season.
