Gophers at a glance: After three consecutive losses, the No. 12 Gophers are in great need of a victory but are staring down the neck of a foe against which they traditionally have struggled during the Bo Ryan era. They will need to snap out of their recent sluggish play, which has produced poor shooting, flurries of turnovers and harsh critiques from coach Tubby Smith. They will need a strong effort from PG Andre Hollins, who is averaging 13.8 points a game but might be coming off his worst college game, and to get better production from a bench that has been lackluster. Trevor Mbakwe has been a bright spot during the losing streak, with the center averaging a double-double over the past 10 games.

Badgers at a glance: Wisconsin looked as though it was on the verge of returning to the top 25 after becoming the last Big Ten team undefeated in conference play. But after losing consecutive games to Iowa and Michigan State, the Badgers are in search of a victory as well. They have won 14 out of the past 15 times the Gophers have come to town, and Wisconsin's defense has been superb in helping turn the season around. The Badgers are ranked No. 8 in the country in scoring defense, allowing only 55.4 points a game. Minnesota native Jared Berggren leads the team with 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

AMELIA RAYNO