Big Ten Tournament Preview: Minnesota vs. Michigan

After a long and frustrating Big Ten season the Gophers could use a break. Certainly they didn’t do themselves any favors by starting out 0-6 in conference play and losing their last three games of the regular season, but when you finish 10th in the Big Ten, you sleep in the bed you make. And that bed is none other than the “œopportunity” to play the Michigan Wolverines who have spanked the Gophers by a combined 38 points in their two meetings during the regular season. Minnesota looks to avenge these ugly loses in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament Thursday in Indianapolis.

If you take the first half of the first Gopher/Wolverine game and the second half of second Gopher/Wolverine game it doesn’t look that bad from Minnesota’s perspective. But if you switch that around, it is oh-so-ugly as the Wolverines outscored the Gophers by 34 points in those 40 minutes of play including one of the most surreal starts to a game in which Michigan laughed its way to a 35-6 lead just a few weeks ago in Ann Arbor.

But the old sports adage states that it is tough to beat a team three times in one season and the Gophers hope that applies Thursday afternoon. For that to happen though, Minnesota needs to somehow stop Daniel Horton who scored 32 and 21 points, respectively this year against Minnesota.

Michigan is most likely in The Dance, but it certainly doesn’t want to give any reason for the Selection Committee to snub them on Sunday. A loss to Minnesota will not impress the powers that be when the brackets are determined this weekend. But on the other hand, the Gophers will hopefully play with a nothing to lose attitude. Four wins in four days is incredibly difficult, but this is a team that defeated three ranked teams by double digit points, and the experience is there.

Here are the keys to the game if the Gophers hope to “œsurvive and advance:”

1. Shoot the ball better. In two games versus Michigan, Minnesota has shot a combined 37%. That formula hasn’t worked so far and no way it works if the Gophers want to upset Michigan. Adam Boone and Maurice Hargrow need to set the tone early and hit a few open jumpers.

2. Bench production. The Gophers have seen increased production from their three sophomores as of late, with Spencer Tollackson leading the way. Spencer needs to have another big night against Michigan.

3. Contain Horton. Whether Hargrow or Vincent Grier matches up with Horton, he cannot go off for another 25 point night. He’ll get his points, but we have to make him work for them. If he’s determined to get 20-plus points, make him do it in 20-plus shots. Nothing can come easy for him on Thursday.

Logic suggests that the Gophers don’t match up well with Michigan this year, and logic is probably right. But come Tourney time crazy things can happen. Grier still has not had one of those truly magical games like we saw last season and no better time for that to happen than the post-season. My Prediction: Minnesota 71 Michigan 66 Like I said, it’s tough to beat a team three times.