Minnesota v. Portland The Gophers hope to earn a shot at West Virginia and the 76 Classic championship with a win over Portland tonight. Ditto for the Pilots, who also want to rack up as many big nonconference wins as possible for their NCAA tournament resume. Minnesota (4-0)

Why the Gophers will win This is cliché. I know. But it can't be ignored. Athleticism. It's a big factor, folks. Midmajors like Butler and Portland assemble solid teams largely based on systems, not individual star power because those schools can't attract a lot of high-level athletes. They might get one or two. But the Gophers have many. I watched the Pilots' romp over UCLA, and I was impressed but realistic. UCLA quit. That's the bottom line. I think Portland's a good team, but the Bruins didn't want to play last night and their performance proved as much. I also wondered why the Pilots weren't more aggressive in the post on defense. UCLA's inefficiency meant that the Pilots didn't have to be, but against the Gophers, they're going to face an offense that's meant to bang. If the Gophers utilize the same approach on offensive– attack the basket, hit the open shot on the perimeter – and defense – nothing easy in the paint, lock up passing lanes – that helped them find success against Butler, I think they'll pull out another victory against a solid Portland team. Portland coughed up the ball 17 times against a UCLA team that didn't want to be here. Against Minnesota's relentless attack, it might have 17 turnovers by halftime. Why the Gophers will lose Sometimes the Gophers own the perimeter. And other times, they're weak. Portland's a team that heats up quickly from downtown. Last season, the Pilots were the WCC's top shooters from deep. I'll assume that part of their game plan includes hitting a lot of threes. They're also the WCC's best passing team from a year ago. Their starters are back. It reminds me of last year's Cornell game. Cornell really surprised Minnesota early because of its success from the three-point line. Minnesota can't get off to a slow start. Plus, there's Portland's zone. A zone team that can hit the three. Northwestern, anyone? The Wildcats beat the Gophers last season. Will Portland do the same tonight? Portland (4-0) The Pilots bring back every starter from a team that went 19-13 last year, two years removed from a 9-23 season. Plus, they have the reigning WCC newcomer of the year (T.J. Campbell), coach of the year (Eric Reveno), a pair of All-WCC first-teamers (Campbell and Nik Raivio) and two honorable mentions (Robin Smeulders, Jared Stohl). While I won't focus on Portland's margin of victory over UCLA, I think it's safe to emphasis some of the areas where they found a lot of success. 54.2 percent FG % 11-for-19 from the three-point line The Pilots also held UCLA to 21.7 percent shooting from the field. And although they were the worst free-throw shooting squad in the WCC last season, they hit 78.6 percent of their attempts from the charity stripe against the Bruins. They came out with intensity, recognizing the moment. And I'll bet that they're going to bring the same energy against the Gophers. Emotion plus execution equals success in most cases. When Portland clicks, watch out. Why they'll lose UCLA didn't play well at all against Portland because the Bruins aren't a good team. But there were situations that Portland should have exploited but didn't. Portland didn't challenge enough shots in the paint (one block). Nine offensive boards resulted in 10 second-chance points. Somehow, they had 17 turnovers against a UCLA team that rarely executed on defense. Against the Gophers, they can't afford sloppiness. And if the Gophers give them an opening, they have to pounce. Plus, I think Minnesota's defensive intensity will steer the Pilots into a lot of turnovers. Prediction I think Portland will make a game of it early. They'll probably take a nice lead because the Gophers still need 5-10 minutes to wake up and recognize that they're in a meaningful game. But they beat a good Butler team without much help from Rodney Williams, Ralph Sampson III or Lawrence Westbrook (first half). Plus, Damian Johnson, Al Nolen and Williams got into early foul trouble. I expect better execution from Minnesota tonight. I also expect a victory and a trip to the 76 Classic title game against a very good West Virginia squad. Minnesota 72, Portland 60