The DEETS. Tonight's game vs. Western Carolina tips at 6 p.m. Watch online (free for subscribers) on ESPN3, and listen live on 1500-a.m.

The READING. In today's Star Tribune: for all the talk about the intriguing newcomers, this is still the Dres' team. Previewing both teams here.

The BUZZ. Last time out, senior guard Andre Hollins scored 27 points on seven three-pointers. "I told him, you need to give your [teammates] and your head coach a lot of credit for those," coach Richard Pitino said. "Because certainly they made great plays to get him open and I gave him a couple of looks off some plays, so I said 'You need to point at me next time you make some of those shots.' ...Now he made the shots, but Joey King made some great passes, Mo made a great pass to him, and we need to find him, that's important."

Hollins grinned. "Coach isn't out there playing," he said. "I let my teammate take most of the credit. But I guess he called a few plays and got me some open shots."

The NUMBERS. Minnesota tied a season high with 20 turnovers on Tuesday. All but two of those came from the starting five. It was, however, the Gophers' best free-throw performance of the year by far. Minnesota made 12-of-14 attempts from the line for 85.7 percent. Previously, the Gophers hadn't shot better than 60.6 percent all year. The Gophers' 12 three-pointers were the most of the Pitino era at Minnesota.

The PLAYER. Perhaps as impressive as anything poised freshman Nate Mason has shown is his tight ball handling. The new guard is averaging just 1.87 turnovers per 40 minutes, the best of the guards by far (Hollins is averaging 4.09; Deandre Mathieu 2.41; Carlos Morris 2.85).