gophers gameday

5:30 P.M. VS. penn state • bankers life fieldhouse (Indianapolis) • ESPN2, 1500-AM

Gophers at a glance: Minnesota will head to Indianapolis hoping to beat Penn State for a third time this season after notching its second Sunday. The seventh-seeded Gophers (19-12) haven't won consecutive games since Jan. 5 and 8, against Purdue and Penn State. In the two teams' most recent meeting, Minnesota shot 55.6 percent from the field while holding the Nittany Lions to 40.4 percent. The Gophers had five players finish in double digits in the 81-63 victory, with DeAndre Mathieu and Mo Walker leading the way with 16 apiece. In the past two games, the Gophers have had only 23 total turnovers, an area in which they have struggled for most of the season. Senior guard Austin Hollins will break Rodney Williams' record for most games played in his career when he steps on the court Thursday. The Gophers went 2-7 away from home against Big Ten teams this year.

Penn State at a glance: The 10th-seeded Nittany Lions (15-16) head into the Big Ten tournament attempting to do something they haven't accomplished all year: beat Minnesota. Penn State traveled to Minnesota last weekend fresh off its sixth league victory but was unable to keep the momentum. D.J. Newbill and Tim Frazier were selected by Big Ten coaches and media to the All-Big Ten second and third teams, respectively. Newbill is averaging 17.8 points per game, second in the Big Ten, and finished with 24 at Williams Arena on Sunday. Frazier led the league in assists with 5.5 per game and averages 15.5 points. He's averaged 11.6 points in six career Big Ten tournament games. The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in two-point percentage defense (45.1). Penn State has reached 15 victories only three other times since the beginning of the century.

amelia rayno