The University of Minnesota, along with a handful of Big Ten basketball teams, is eying the national weather forecast -- and the progress of a super storm just starting to hit the East Coast -- on Monday, as the Gophers prepare for a game set in the blizzard's path.

Minnesota is scheduled to play at Penn State in State College, Penn. on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT, putting the matchup on the edge of a storm the National Weather Service is calling "historic" and "life-threatening."

Snow started falling overnight in Happy Valley, accumulating from one to three inches, according to The State College News, and 4-6 more inches are expected today -- enough for the city to proactively close schools. There is currently a winter weather advisory in effect until 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Further north along the East Coast, the forecast is much worse: Boston and New York are expected to get up to three feet -- which would constitute record falls in the cities -- along with winds up to 65 miles per hour.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, whose team is scheduled to play at Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, said on Monday's Big Ten teleconference that the staff was working to change class schedules and move up practice in order to get to the East Coast earlier.

The New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets both have already cancelled home games scheduled for tonight.

Along the East Coast, thousands of flights have already been today and thousands more already scratched for tomorrow according to FlightAware.com.

Central Pennsylvania isn't facing anything nearly so dramatic, but isn't getting off easy either.

Minnesota basketball spokesperson Dan Reisig said the Gophers are "monitoring the weather but have no plans to change" their travel plans at this point.