West Lafayette, Ind. - Damian Johnson didn't intend to criticize. It was just an honest observation.

Following Minnesota's 86-74 win at Iowa Saturday, he acknowledged that a smaller roster was beneficial in many ways for his team.

Ralph Sampson III missed the game with an ankle injury and he's also expected to miss the Tuesday night contest at Purdue. Colton Iverson, who injured his knee in the second half of the Iowa win, didn't score.

The result was a fast, up-and-down attack that resulted in 18 forced turnovers before halftime against the Hawkeyes.

"I mean, we picked up the tempo of the game, we used our speed to our advantage," Johnson said Saturday. "We match up pretty well still ... We just took advantage of not having the big guys and just using our speed and it worked out for us."

I know the Gophers were playing Iowa. But the way they picked off passes and moved down the floor for fast-break opportunities is how they should play every game.

I don't think they'd get up and down the floor as swiftly with Sampson on the floor. I'm not saying they're better without him, but I think a three-guard lineup with Paul Carter and Johnson offers certain advantages, and I think it gives the Gophers better matchups against the Boilermakers, compared to a lineup with Iverson.

Alabama frustrated Purdue with early fullcourt pressure (17 forced turnovers). The Crimson Tide couldn't hold on at the end, but the only reason they had a chance was because of the way they started.

Minnesota's halfcourt set is limited. So when the Gophers play with a sense of urgency and find success on the offensive end as a result of their uptempo style, why change anything?

Will they really beat Michigan State or Purdue in a back-and-forth contest? I doubt it.

Minnesota's best chance of contending with the elite teams of the Big Ten and picking up enough quality wins to get into their second consecutive NCAA tournament is to come out fast with that crippling press in hopes of getting quick baskets in transition.

That style involves a lot of risk. That fullcourt pressure leaves teams vulnerable on the other end. Iowa figured out ways to find the open man in the second half. But this Gophers team needs to gamble. The Gophers are at their best when they're gambling.

They're not good enough to wait before they pounce on a top opponent like Purdue. And I recognize how difficult it is to execute that style against a good team like Purdue. But it's worth a shot.

I didn't make a big deal about Iowa's 20-6 run to end Saturday's game because I didn't think it took anything away from the way the Gophers dominated Iowa for 35 out of 40 minutes. I think it's hard to stay focused when you're beating a team by 20-plus points.

I think the start says more about this team. That's Tubby Smith basketball. That's their best chance to pull of an upset against the Boilermakers.

Don't be surprised if they make a quick swap (Carter for Iverson) early in Tuesday's game.

Prediction: I think the Gophers (11-3, 2-0 Big Ten) will come out strong against the Boilermakers and make it a good game early. But I expect Purdue (13-0, 1-0 Big Ten) to pull away in the second half and come away with the victory. No upset tonight.

Purdue 73, Minnesota 65

-Gophers wide receiver Bryant Allen joined the men's basketball team at practice Monday. But Smith said he's not convinced that he'll actually join the program.

"He was out here, but I don't know ... that situation whether it will materialize or not because there's a lot of things," Smith said. "You're quite, way behind ... but he's a pretty good athlete."

-Al Nolen on his role against the Boilermakers: "I think I'm going to have to do a little more this game with Purdue denying our wings and really getting into the bigs. I'm going to have to do more penetrating and help out the team more in the scoring department."

-Ohio State's Evan Turner is scheduled for another MRI on his back, according to head coach Thad Matta. No guarantee he plays Saturday against the Gophers, but he's making progress. "He's doing a little bit more every day," Matta said Monday. "I just don't know exactly when it's going to feel right for him."