Update: For the second time this season, redshirt sophomore Charles Buggs will replace Carlos Morris in the starting lineup on Thursday. Minnesota spokesperson Dan Reisig confirmed Morris will be available off the bench.
Iowa hosts Minnesota at 6 p.m. tonight. Watch on Big Ten Network or listen live on 1500-a.m.
Five things to watch as the Gophers try to win their third straight and first conference game on the road:
Defensive trends. In the last two games, the Gophers have turned their opponents over 43 times while collecting 27 steals. Their zones -- both the 2-3 and the matchup -- are looking more and more improved each game, holding their last two opponents to a total of just 38 points in the paint. But Iowa -- loaded with scoring options -- isn't exactly the easiest team to press, and the Hawkeyes have been on an offensive tear in the last two, scoring an average of 1.23 points per possession. Minnesota has also struggled to play the same stifling style on the road, where there isn't a crowd cheering each steal.
Hot Andre. In the last six games, senior guard Andre Hollins has transformed his slump into a campaign for MVP. He's playing as well as he has in his career on both sides of the ball -- and for a player who has struggled with consistency, that's a welcome sight. When the two met up last, Hollins slump hadn't quite ended. He finished with seven points on 2-for-12 shooting before starting his tear the next game. If hot Andre shows up once more at Iowa, it could be the difference the Gophers need.
Good Woodbury; Bad Woodbury. Iowa center Adam Woodbury is playing some of his best basketball right now, averaging 11.7 in the Hawkeyes' last two games -- wins at Michigan and vs. Maryland -- and on Sunday vs. the Terrapins, he tied a career-high 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting. He's also the subject of the biggest drama surrounding Iowa -- the eye-poking scandal -- and is being called a dirty player by some. Will he be bothered? Will he keep on tearin' on?
The history. In the Gophers' last game vs. Iowa, the Hawkyes hit eight of 16 three-pointers for 50 percent while getting to the free-throw line 11 more times than Minnesota and won it, 77-75, on a last-minute shot from 6-foot-9 wing Jarrod Uthoff. Iowa also collected nine blocks, including four from Uthoff, who had a monstrous game with 22 points, four assists and five rebounds. The Gophers had just six steals vs. the Hawkeyes, just over half their season average (10.8) ... things have gone worse in Iowa City. The Gophers lost in their previous two trips, in strangely similar fashion. Last year, Minnesota held a ten-point lead before being outscored 29-10 down the stretch. The previous season, Iowa overcame a 16-point deficit with a 37-10 run.
Matchups. Iowa's size makes for some interesting defensive assignments for the Gophers, who last time around had to throw 6-foot-1 Holliins at Uthoff for stretches. That will likely happen again tonight with Carlos Morris and Charles Buggs both struggling on the defensive end. But Minnesota also has 6-foot-6 shooting guard Peter Jok (who has scored 25 in Iowa's last two) and of course, versatile power forward Aaron White to deal with.
