GOPHERS MEN'S HOOPS AT NO. 22 PENN STATE
THREE THINGS TO WATCH:
Oturu vs. Stevens II – Social media was buzzing when Gophers star sophomore center Daniel Oturu's heated exchange with senior forward Lamar Stevens in the postgame handshake line was caught on video after the Gophers 75-69 win against Penn State last month. It wasn't a good look for either player. The squabble was a continuation of the trash talking that went on during the game. Oturu dominated the matchup with the Nittany Lions frontcourt with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Stevens wasn't that impactful with 14 points on 5-for-13 shooting. Neither was senior center Mike Watkins (seven points and five rebounds). The most memorable Watkins moment was when he confronted Oturu face-to-face during a physical sequence in the second half. Pitino understands the competitiveness of both sides. But Pitino said, "more than anything find a way to compete at the high level but do it the right way." On the rematch with Oturu, Stevens told local media this week: "We're two big time competitors but I'm focused on my team, focused on getting myself ready for this game. Stuff like that happens, but I don't let that stick with me."
Carr's consistency – Richard Pitino heard from his coaching staff at the end of Wednesday's win against Wisconsin that Marcus Carr only needed one rebound to reach a triple-double. "What do you want me to tell him to miss? We're not going to do that," Pitino told them. It would've been the first triple-double in program history since Mychal Thompson in 1976. Carr's scoring wasn't the story in a 70-52 victory against the Badgers. The sophomore point guard scored under his average with 12 points on 5-for-15 shooting and 2-for-6 free throws, but he had 10 assists and nine rebounds. In the earlier win against Penn State at home, the Toronto native exploded for 27 points (10 for 11 free throws) with nine assists and six rebounds. Carr has four games of 20-plus points at home this season, but he's averaging 12 points on 29 percent shooting away from the Barn. The Gophers are 1-7 in true road games this season. It's no surprise that the lone road win came when Carr led the way with 21 points, including the game-winning three-pointer in a Jan. 23 win at Ohio State. Junior Payton Willis returning from a shoulder injury to put up 21 points against Wisconsin took pressure off Carr from having to carry the offense on the perimeter.
Defensive impact – The Gophers arguably had their worst defensive performance of the season in the first half of their last meeting with Penn State at home. The Nittany Lions shot 60 percent from the field (18 for 30) and led by as much as eight points at the Barn. It was a completely different effort in the second half for Minnesota, which held Penn State to 24 percent shooting (7 for 29), including 1-for-10 shooting from three-point range. Pitino's team defeated Wisconsin by its largest margin in the series since 1994, but it was defense that stood out the most. The Gophers had 45 points in the first half, but they also held their rival to 28 percent shooting from the field. Wisconsin's starters were 15-for-46 on field goals combined. Minnesota ranks fifth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense (40.3) through 12 league games.
GAME INFO
Time: 3 p.m. CT, Saturday. Where: Bryce Jordan Center. Line: Minnesota 6.5-point underdog. Series: Gophers hold the edge 29-10 advantage, including their fifth straight victory in the series 75-69 at Williams Arena on Jan. 15. TV: Big Ten Network. Online/Live video: BTNPlus. Radio: 100.3
PROJECTED STARTERS
