U men gameday

By Staff , Star Tribune

Last update: March 1, 2008 - 2:44 PM

Print this story

3 P.M. VS. OHIO STATE • WILLIAMS ARENA • ESPN

More from Gophers

Preview: Few teams are trying to hang on to their NCAA tourney hopes like Ohio State, a team that saw its hopes stung by a recent string of three losses. Now, the Buckeyes need to beat Minnesota to keep themselves on the NCAA tournament bubble. Meanwhile, on Senior Night for the Gophers' three seniors, look for the team to come out with energy; the Gophers still could earn a bye in the Big Ten tournament if they can grab the league's fifth-place spot from Ohio State.

Key players: Dan Coleman, who is averaging 12.5 points per game, played aggressively against Purdue on Wednesday and finished with a double-double. If the seniors are going to win their last regular-season home game at Williams Arena, Coleman will have to rebound and go hard to the post. That's easier said than done. Ohio State has a lot of size. Kosta Koufos, a 7-foot freshman, is averaging 13.9 points per game, and his post presence is the reason the Buckeyes have played tough against the league's best teams.

Numbers: Ohio State is shooting 45.4 percent from the field, compared to its opponents' 38.1 percent field goal percentage. The Gophers are shooting 38.1 percent from the three-point line, while their opponents are shooting 33.7 percent from beyond the arc.

MYRON P. MEDCALF

Recent Gophers stories

Is Brewster selling the sizzle? - March 1, 2008

Is Brewster selling the sizzle? - Tim Brewster's biggest asset when he took over as Gophers football coach was his reputation as a recruiter. Has he succeeded in attracting talent or not? More